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v    JJibrary 


San  Francisco,  California 
2006 


THE 


SEED  GROWER. 


A  Practical  Treatise  on 

Growing  Vegetable  and  Flower  Seeds  and 

Bulbs  for  the  Market. 


BY 

CHARLES  JOHNSON, 

AUTHOR  OF  THE  SEEDSMAN'S  ASSISTANT. 


MARIETTA,  PA. 
1906. 


COPYRIGHT,  1906, 

BY 
CHAKLES  JOHNSON. 

A6R1C,  DEPT. 

MAIN  LIBRARY 


WICKERSHAM  PRINTING  CO. 

Printers  and  Binders, 

LANCASTER,  PA. 


AUTHOR'S  PEEPACE. 


SEED-GROWING  properly  pertains  to  an  agricultural 
country,  such  as  is  the  United  States.  It  is  a  business 
in  which  the  profits  are  large  and  one  which  to  supply 
our  needs  in  full  affords  great  opportunity  for  much 
enlargement  in  this  country.  It  is  also  an  industry 
that  could  be  built  up  here  for  export  trade,  which  at 
present  amounts  to  comparatively  nothing. 

In  all  candor  it  must  be  said,  we  do  not  stand  in  the 
front  rank  before  the  world  as  seed-growers.  For,  while 
the  past  quarter  of  a  century  has  seen  much  progress 
here  in  seed-growing,  the  industry  with  us  is  still  in  a 
stage  of  infancy  and  much  remains  to  be  done.  As 
evidenced  by  the  following  pages,  we  still  depend  to  a 
large  extent  on  European  growers  for  the  best  grown 
seeds  of  many  varieties,  particularly  of  beet,  cabbage, 
carrot,  cauliflower,  kale,  kohl  rabi,  leek,  onion  (a  few 
kinds),  parsley,  parsnip,  radish,  spinach,  turnip,  the 
choicer  grades  of  flower  seeds  and  all  our  Fall  planting 
bulbs.  The  exceptions  to  these,  however,  namely, 
peas,  beans,  celery,  cucumber,  lettuce,  melon,  tomato, 
certain  kinds  of  onion,  we  no  longer  import,  for  we 
have  demonstrated  our  ability  to  grow  the  finest  seeds 
of  these  ourselves  more  cheaply  than  can  be  done  in 
Europe.  Therefore  what  we  are  doing  with  these  we 
can  also  do  in  producing  commercially  all  other  seeds 
required  for  the  garden. 

Why  should  we  not  lead  the  world  in  the  production 
(3) 

402362 


^AUTHOR'S  PREFACE. 


of  all  kinds  of  seeds?  With  agricultural  resources  and 
facilities  practically  unlimited,  we  lead  and  excel  in 
farm  products  generally.  We  not  only  produce  all 
the  seeds  of  grains  and  grasses  (introduced  here  from 
abroad)  required  by  ourselves,  but  also  ship  great 
quantities  to  Foreign  countries,  owing  to  our  producing 
them  so  cheaply.  We  have  cheaper  and  better  land 
than  has  Europe,  and  a  greater  diversity  of  climate  and 
soil.  And  besides  all  these  advantages  we  have  what 
goes  without  saying,  an  abundance  of  American  intelli- 
gence, energy,  application  and  pride  to  enable  us  to 
produce  at  lesser  cost  than  in  Europe,  and  at  a  good 
profit  to  ourselves,  the  very  highest  grades  of  all  varie- 
ties of  seeds  for  the  vegetable  and  flower  garden,  for  our 
own  use  and  the  outside  world  as  well.  But  after  all 
the  plain  truth  of  the  matter  is,  what  is  really  required 
to  promote  the  seed-growing  industry  in  our  nation  is 
simply  a  display  of  American  enterprise  and  knowing 
how. 

In  seed-growing  as  in  every  other  art,  it  is  attention 
to  a  particular  line — specialization — that  insures  success. 
The  misfit,  the  visionary  and  the  ' '  all-around  man ' ' 
are  all  too  likely  to  fall  into  the  same  class  when  results 
are  under  consideration.  But  the  specialist  "gets 
there. "  Be  a  specialist ! 

It  is  to  stimulate  in  our  farming  community  the 
spirit  just  named,  that  this  work,  believed  to  be  the  first 
published,  in  any  country,  treating  especially  of  seed- 
growing  for  commercial  purposes,  has  mainly  been 
prompted,  and  in  the  hope  that  it  will  furnish  the  infor- 
mation required  for  the  occasion  the  volume  is  launched 

upon  its  career. 

THE  AUTHOR. 
Marietta,  Pa.,  October  1,  1905. 


THE  SEED-GROWER. 


INTRODUCTORY. 

Suggestions  to  Beginners. — The  beginner  who  is 
without  previous  experience  is  advised  in  growing 
seed  for  commercial  purposes  to  proceed  slowly  and 
not  attempt  too  much  at  the  outset.  It  is  better  to  feel 
your  way,  with  your  first  year's  operations  on  a  limited 
scale,  rather  in  the  nature  of  an  experiment  to  see  what 
can  be  done  with  profit  and  with  success. 

Endeavor  to  make  your  first  customers  in  nearby 
towns  and  cities;  strive,  by  growing  only  the  highest 
standard  seeds,  to  create  a  reputation  for  the  quality  of 
what  you  grow.  This  latter,  naturally,  is  a  matter  that 
must  be  left  to  the  results  of  one  or  two  season's  trial 
of  your  products  by  your  customers.  Once  having 
given  satisfaction,  the  way  should  be  clear  thereafter; 
one  satisfied  customer  is  usually  the  means  of  securing 
others. 

Because  your  acquaintance  with  seedsmen  in  the 
country  at  large  is  limited  to  the  few  (enterprising 
though  they  be)  who  make  a  practice  of  advertising 
extensively  in  magazines,  do  not  imagine  that  these  few 
comprise  the  seed  trade  in  its  full  strength  and  entirety. 
The  fact  of  the  matter  is,  there  are  many  hundreds 
of  other  large  firms  dealing  in  seeds  exclusively,  located 
in  every  town  and  city  of  importance  in  the  Union, 
who  sell  locally,  in  a  quieter  sort  of  way,  large  quanti- 

(5) 


6  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

ties  of  seeds.  And,  besides  these  who  handle  nothing 
but  seeds,  there  are  thousands  of  merchants  in  smaller 
towns  who  combine  seeds  with  their  other  lines,  all  of 
which  constitututes  a  broad  field  for  exploitation  by  the 
seed-grower. 

The  Store-house  or  Barn  of  a  seed-grower  should 
be  a  well-constructed,  dry,  properly  ventilated  building, 
containing  plenty  of  loft-room  for  the  drying  of  seeds, 
and  an  apartment  for  thrashing  and  cleaning;  and  this 
building  must  be  kept  free  from  rats,  mice,  and  vermin, 
for  these  will  do  serious  damage  to  seeds,  if  allowed  to 
exist  where  seeds  are  stored. 

Stock  Seeds. — The  preparation  of  the  soil  for  grow- 
ing a  seed-crop,  sowing  of  seed,  and  method  of  cultiva- 
tion are  much  the  same  as  in  ordinary  garden  practice. 
But  what  is  of  particular  importance  at  the  start,  as 
being  very  much  essential  to  success,  is  that  the  grower 
should  be  provided  with  an  ample  supply  of  pure  stock, 
planting,  or  breeding-seed,  of  the  varieties  which  are 
purposed  to  be  grown.  This  stock-seed  should  have 
been  grown  carefully  by  the  operator  or  grower  him- 
self, obviously  the  better  plan,  or  it  may  sometimes  be 
procured  from  the  seed  dealer  for  whom  the  crop  is  to 
be  grown.  It  must,  however,  be  remembered  that  by 
stock-seed  is  not  meant  commercial  seed,  as  it  is 
termed,  or  that  seed  which  is  sold  by  the  dealer  to 
his  general  trade.  Stock  seed,  if  the  dealer  should 
happen  to  have  it,  is  seed  which  has  been  specially 
grown  for  him  in  the  usual  course  prescribed  for  raising- 
stock  seed,  by  careful  selection,  etc.,  and  is  kept  on 
hand  to  supply  to  growers  with  whom  he  makes  con- 
tracts for  commercial  seed;  not  every  seedsman,  though, 
makes  a  practice  of  carrying  stock-seeds. 

Harvesting,   etc.— The   operations    for   harvesting 


INTRODUCTORY.  7 

and  cleaning  will  be  found  given  for  most  varieties  as 
they  are  severally  treated  upon,  under  their  respective 
headings,  but  it  may  further  matters  to  present  some 
of  these  in  a  general  way,  in  advance  herewith. 

Threshing. — The  operation  of  threshing  most  seeds, 
not  of  a  pulpy  character,  may  be  done,  either  with  a 
flail,  a  roller  drawn  by  horses,  or  a  threshing  machine. 
One  of  the  most  popular  threshing  machines  on  the 
market,  designed  for  many  varieties  of  vegetable  seed, 
is  made  by  the  Bidwell  Co. ,  at  Batavia,  N.  Y. 

When  threshing  is  done  with  a  flail,  do  so  lightly  to 
avoid  breaking  of  seed,  particularly  if  it  is  of  a  soft, 
oily  nature.  By  threshing  on  a  cloth,  seed  is  better 
saved,  and  is  not  so  liable  to  get  broken  as  when  the 
work  is  done  on  the  bare  floor.  The  threshing  cloth 
may  be  made  of  canvas  or  cotton  cloth. 

Cleaning. — After  threshing,  the  stalks  and  chaff  are 
raked  away  and  seed  is  run  through  the  machine  called 
a  fan-mill  or  a  seed  cleaner.  This  machine  is  indis- 
pensable for  the  proper  cleaning  of  every  kind  of  seed, 
and  may  be  purchased  through  any  dealer  in  agricul- 
tural machinery. 

It  is  important  here  to  call  attention  to  the  fact  that 
even  farm  seeds,  such  as  wheat,  oats,  barley,  timothy, 
clover,  millet,  etc. ,  should  not  be  sown  without  having 
been  given  a  thorough  cleaning  in  a  fan-mill,  to  remove 
weed-seeds,  and  light,  immature  seeds.  Tests  which 
were  made  for  a  number  of  years  at  several  of  our  ex- 
periment stations,  have  demonstrated  that  the  removal 
of  small,  immature,  and  damaged  seeds,  results  in 
better  yields,  both  as  to  quality  and  quantity,  the  in- 
crease of  same  amounting  to  twenty  to  twenty-five  per 
cent. 

Some  kinds  of  seed  are  not  always  thoroughly  cleaned 


8  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

by  the  seed-cleaner,  and  it  may  be  necessary  to  finish 
the  operation  with  a  hand-sieve.  Hand-sieves  will 
answer  for  cleaning  small  quantities  in  case  the  grower 
does  not  own  a  machine  seed-cleaner. 

Cleaning  by  Fermentation. — This  is  a  necessary 
process  for  cleansing  seeds  like  egg  plant,  cucumber, 
melon,  pumpkin,  squash  and  tomato,  which  are  cov- 
ered with  a  sticky  pulp.  The  souring  loosens  this 
pulp,  and  then  by  a  rinsing  in  water,  or  washing  as  it 
is  termed,  the  pulp  is  removed  entirely,  and  the  seed 
rendered  nice  and  clean.  Some  judgment  must  be 
used  in  fermentation;  the  liquid  should  be  given  an 
occasional  stirring,  and  while  no  injury  to  seeds  will 
result  as  far  as  germination  is  concerned,  so  long  as 
they  remain  in  the  natural  juice,  yet  if  permitted  to  stay 
in  it  longer  than  is  required  to  loosen  the  pulp,  they  are 
likely  to  become  blackened  or  discolored.  One  may 
know  whether  fermentation  has  gone  far  enough  by 
taking  up  a  handful  of  the  pulp  and  squeezing  it.  If 
on  opening  the  hand  the  seed  is  free  from  pulp,  it  is 
ready  for  washing,  but  if  the  pulp  still  sticks  to  it,  more 
fermentation  is  necessary. 

Washing. — Seeds  which  have  undergone  fermenta- 
tion are  washed  in  clear  water  in  a  tank,  which  is  made 
to  allow  the  pulp  to  be  poured,  floated  or  drawn  off. 
A  small  quantity  may  be  washed  in  a  bucket,  a  tub  or 
a  tight  barrel. 

Onion  seeds  will  be  found  directed  to  be  cleaned  by 
washing.  This  is  done  simply  to  relieve  them  from 
light,  immature  seeds  and  portions  of  pods,  no  fermen- 
tation being  necessary. 

Drying. — After  washing,  seeds  should  be  drained  of 
surplus  water  and  then  spread  on  screens  or  drying 
frames,  which  are  placed  in  the  sun  and  air  to  dry. 


INTRODUCTORY. 

These  screens  are  three  feet  wide  by  twelve  to  fourteen 
feet  in  length,  made  of  burlap  or  muslin,  with  frames 
of  three  by  four  scantling. 

After  cleaning,  all  seeds,  as  a  rule,  should  be  spread 
thinly  on  cloth,  in  the  loft  or  drying  room,  and  allowed 
to  remain  till  thoroughly  dry;  while  they  are  thus  dry- 
ing, they  should  be  stirred  over  frequently  by  raking. 

No  seeds  should  be  stored  in  bulk  until  in  perfectly 
dry  condition.  Sugar  corn,  in  particular,  holds  mois- 
ture for  a  long  time,  and  it  is  likely  to  mould  if  piled  in 
bulk  or  stored  in  sacks  too  soon. 

Marketable  Condition. — To  be  in  prime,  market- 
able condition  seeds  must  be  bright  in  appearance,  free 
from  discoloration,  free  from  foreign  seeds,  from  dust, 
chaff,  sticks,  and  light,  immature,  and  broken  grains. 

Labeling. — In  storing,  great  care  must  be  taken  to 
label  varieties  properly.  A  tag  or  a  label  bearing  the 
name  of  the  variety,  and  the  year  of  the  crop,  should 
be  attached  to  the  outside  of  the  sack,  and  a  duplicate 
of  same  placed  inside.  The  worst  kinds  of  errors  are 
likely  to  ensue  if  some  system  of  labeling  is  not 
adopted.  An  instance  in  point  may  be  related  of  a 
certain  establishment,  the  proprietor  of  which  was  an 
unmethodical  person  who  trusted  everything  to  his 
memory. 

The  hundreds  of  sacks  of  various  kinds  of  seed  as 
they  lay  piled  in  view  in  his  warehouse,  did  not  bear  a 
single  outside  label,  nor  any  mark  to  denote  their  con- 
tents. The  proprietor  in  question  (one  of  those  who 
know  everything)  would  say  that  he  knew  the  contents 
of  every  sack,  its  particular  location,  and  could  lay  his 
hands  at  once  on  a  sack  containing  any  special  vari- 
ety wanted.  His  few  employees  were  obliged  to  run 
to  him  for  consultation  (at  a  loss  of  their  time;  he  did 


10  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

not  consider  this)  when  they  would  desire  a  certain 
variety.  We  all  are  aware  what  tricks  memory  will 
play,  if  we  depend  upon  it  entirely.  And  no  one  was 
surprised  when  this  individual  one  day  had  to  encoun- 
ter a  heavy  law-suit  for  damages,  resulting  from  a  mis- 
take which  was  made  in  giving  the  wrong  variety, 
and  which  would  have  been  prevented  by  labeling. 

The  moral  point  desired  to  be  impressed  is,  you  can- 
not be  too  methodical,  too  particular,  in  the  care  of 
seeds  in  warehouse  or  store. 

Contract  Forms. — Some  forms  of  contracts  as 
differently  made  by  growers  with  dealers,  which  will  be 
found  given,  will  render  aid  to  the  novice  in  form- 
ulating a  contract.  No  seed-grower  should  under- 
take a  crop  for  any  one  without  first  securing  a  written 
contract  at  the  time  arrangements  are  concluded.  A 
signed  contract  affords  protection  against  possible  con- 
tingencies, and  it  is  now  a  custom  that  is  closely  fol- 
lowed by  all  established  growers  in  this  and  other  coun- 
tries. 

Synonyms. — In  the  description  of  varieties,  there 
will  be  found,  properly  arranged,  the  various  synonyms 
in  vogue  up  to  date,  which  it  is  hoped  will  render  ser- 
vice not  only  to  the  seed-grower,  but  to  both  the  family 
and  the  market  gardener. 

Explanation  of  the  origin  of  this  multiplicity  of  new 
names  for  many  staple  varieties  is  to  be  found  in  the 
chapter  on  ''Origination  of  new  Varieties,"  in  what  is 
said  relating  to  the  seed  trade  offering  the  greatest 
stimulus  for  production  of  new  sorts. 

Trial  Grounds. — While  every  seedsman  or  dealer 
should  have  a  trial  grounds  in  which  to  test  for  himself 
all  seeds  sold  by  him,  so  should  every  seed-grower 
have  one  in  which  to  test  all  novelties  as  they  are  pre- 


INTRODUCTORY.  11 

sented  from  time  to  time  by  the  different  seedsmen. 
The  few  suggestions  therefore  for  detail  work  in  trial 
grounds  are  deemed  not  inappropriate. 

Cultural  Directions,  Time  of  Maturity,  etc. — 
These  should  prove  convenient  for  reference,  not  only 
by  the  grower,  but  more  especially  by  all  seed  dealers, 
as  an  aid  to  their  salespeople  in  supplying  information 
to  inquiring  customers. 

Growers'  Prices. — The  prices  which  have  been 
given  in  these  pages  are  those  obtained  by  the  principal 
or  main  grower,  who,  however,  frequently  sublets  por- 
tions of  his  contracts  at  lower  figures. 

In  cases  of  importation,  duty  and  freight  to  New 
York  have  been  included. 


SEED-SAVING  METHODS,  WITH  YIELDS 

PER  ACEE,  GROWERS'  PRICES, 

MARKET  STATUS. 


ARTICHOKE. 

Artichoke  proper  is  hereof  treated,  the  sort  cultivated 
in  the  kitchen  garden  for  its  flower-heads  or  buds  as 
well  as  for  portions  of  the  leaf-stalk. 

It  is  a  perennial  of  hardy  nature,  which  gives  in  the 
first  year  but  few  flower-heads  or  seed,  a  growth  of  two 
years  being  necessary  for  the  production  of  a  full  seed 
crop. 

To  insure  the  finest  and  purest,  seeds,  the  better  plan 
is  to  plant  slips  or  suckers  taken  from  established  plants 
which  have  borne  flower-heads  possessing  the  character- 
istics of  the  variety.  These  slips  should  be  taken  off 
late  in  spring,  or  in  extreme  southern  sections  in  Octo- 
ber, when  they  are  of  a  height  of  six  inches  or  so,  and 
transplanted  about  four  inches  deep,  in  rows  four  feet 
apart,  two  feet  in  the  row.  Cultivate  the  crop  and 
keep  the  soil  loose  and  free  from  weeds. 

But  when  suckers  are  not  to  be  had,  then  plants  must 
be  obtained  from  seed,  which  is  sown  early  in  spring, 
in  drills  one  foot  apart,  seeds  being  covered  one  inch 
deep.  When  plants  are  several  inches  high,  transplant 
in  rows  same  as  directed  for  slips.  These  plants  in  the 
second  year  should  be  gone  over  carefully,  and  only 
those  which  have  given  large  flower-heads  true  to  variety 
must  be  allowed  to  remain  for  seed. 

CIS) 


14  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

In  the  rigorous  winters  of  the  Northern  States,  arti- 
choke requires  protection  with  a  covering  of  straw  or 
stable  Utter,  but  in  the  warmer  climates  of  the  Southern 
and  Pacific  Coast  sections  this  is  not  necessary. 

Seed  may  be  shelled  by  hand,  or  thrashed  out  on  a 
floor,  with  a  flail,  running  seed  through  a  fan  mill  for 
cleaning. 

Market. — While  the  more  general  cultivation  of  this 
vegetable  in  the  United  States  is  confined  to  the  South 
and  to  the  Pacific  Coast,  it  is  also  grown  with  success, 
but  on  a  lesser  scale,  in  Northern  sections. 

All  seedsmen  have  a  moderate  demand  for  artichoke 
seed;  it  is  mostly  imported  from  Europe,  at  price  laid 
down  in  New  York  of  about  $1.00  per  pound. 

In  a  favorable  season,  a  yield  is  about  300  pounds 
per  acre. 

ASPARAGUS. 

Asparagus  reaches  full  growth  generally  in  the  second 
year.  On  its  numerous  branches  there  are  borne  a 
great  profusion  of  bright-scarlet  berries,  which  contain 
the  seeds,  several  in  each  berry.  When  these  berries 
are  soft-ripe  seeds  are  sufficiently  matured  for  saving. 
The  stalks  are  then  cut  and  taken  to  the  barn  or  shed 
for  extraction  of  seed. 

Extracting  and  Drying  Seed. — The  first  operation 
is  to  separate  the  berries  from  the  stalks,  which  may  be 
done  by  stripping  them  off  by  hand,  or  by  threshing 
them  out  on  a  cloth  spread  on  the  floor. 

Then  to  extract  the  seed,  the  berries  are  first  mashed 
or  crushed  in  a  tub  or  a  barrel,  using  for  the  purpose 
a  wooden  pounder;  next,  they  are  washed  to  clean  the 
shells  from  the  seed,  which  may  be  done  in  the  same 
tub  or  barrel.  The  vessel  used  is  filled  two-thirds  with 
water,  the  berries  are  poured  in,  and  then  the  whole  is 


ASPARAGUS BEAN.  15 

vigorously  stirred,  which  motion  will  cause  the  seeds  to 
become  loosened  and  fall  to  the  bottom,  while  the 
shells  will  float  and  are  slowly  poured  off  with  the  water. 

In  fresh  water  the  seeds  are  given  another  washing, 
and  if  this  does  not  render  them  thoroughly  clean,  it 
should  be  repeated. 

Seeds  are  then  spread  on  smooth  boards  or  on  cloth 
screens  and  set  in  the  sun  for  a  day  to  dry.  This  is 
hastened  and  more  properly  done  by  giving  the  seeds 
an  occasional  stirring  or  turning  over  while  they  are 
thus  spread  out.  They  are  then  removed  to  a  drying 
loft  or  room  and  spread  thinly  on  a  cloth  and  left  to 
remain  until  they  have  become  thoroughly  dry,  when 
they  may  be  cleaned  in  the  seed-cleaner  and  afterwards 
stored  in  sacks. 

Saving  Seeds  for  Private  Use.— Select  the  largest 
and  finest  berries,  dry  and  preserve  them.  In  their 
dried  shells,  seeds  keep  better  and  retain  their  vitality 
longer. 

Market. — Asparagus  seed  is  handled  by  all  seed 
dealers,  its  aggregate  yearly  consumption  in  the  United 
States  being  upwards  of  75,000  pounds,  nearly  all  of 
which  is  produced  here. 

In  a  favorable  season,  a  yield  ranges  from  1,000  to 
1,200  pounds  per  acre,  at  a  price  usually  of  ten  cents 
per  pound  to  the  grower. 

BEAN. 

For  a  seed  crop  of  beans,  either  a  good  clay  loam  or 
a  fertile  sandy  loam  is  desirable;  the  richer  the  land, 
the  better  and  bigger  the  crop;  stable  manure  when  to 
be  had  is  the  best  fertilizer. 

Beans  do  not  readily  cross,  and  different  varieties 
may  be  planted  near  each  other  without  mixture,  but 


16  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

the  seed  used  for  planting  must  be  pure  and  true  to 
variety.  Planting  is  usually  made  in  northern  latitudes 
about  June  1st,  at  the  rate  of  one  bushel  per  acre,  in 
single  rows  three  feet  apart,  beans  being  dropped  two 
to  three  inches  apart  in  the  row.  Some  few  growers 
plant  in  hills  ten  inches  apart,  two  or  three  beans  in  a 
hill;  but  the  former  is  the  preferable  way. 

Cultivation  should  be  begun  two  or  three  days  after 
seeding,  and  should  be  kept  up  continuously  through- 
out the  season.  The  early  cultivation  destroys  the 
weeds  that  first  start  before  the  seeds  are  up.  A  drag- 
tooth  cultivator  with  five  teeth  is  generally  used  for 
this  purpose,  so  that  the  earth  is  thrown  against  the 
rows.  Sometimes,  when  grass  is  starting  in  the  crop, 
a  point  that  presents  a  cutting  edge  in  front,  is  attached 
to  the  cultivator,  but  this  is  only  used  in  case  the  grass 
has  obtained  quite  a  start. 

In  the  Middle  West  harvest  begins  about  September 
1st,  varying,  according  to  the  season,  from  September 
1st  to  15th.  A  bean  crop  is  expected  to  mature  in 
about  one  hundred  days.  Except  that  a  rain,  which 
may  damage  the  color  or  brightness  of  the  seed,  must 
be  avoided  on  the  crop  after  it  is  gathered,  there  is  no 
waiting  for  favorable  weather;  when  the  crop  is  suffi- 
ciently matured  it  must  be  taken  in.  This  is  known 
when  the  bulk  of  the  pods  are  ripe.  If  it  is  awaited 
until  all  are  ripe,  loss  by  shelling  in  handling  would  be 
too  great.  The  method  of  taking  out  the  crop  is  to  pull  up 
the  plants  with  a  machine  called  a  bean  puller.  Several 
such  machines  are  on  the  market;  one  that  is,  perhaps, 
the  most  popular  is  the  Bidwell,  made  at  Batavia,  N.  Y. 

When  the  bean-puller  has  pulled  several  rows,  the 
beans  are  forked  into  one  row  and  allowed  to  lie  in  the 
large  row  until  quite  dry,  when  they  are  hauled  to  the 


BEAN.  17 

barn  and  stacked  up  loosely,  to  become  more  thoroughly 
dry,  and  await  threshing.  In  hauling,  they  are  loaded 
up  on  wagons  like  hay. 

Threshing  and  Cleaning. — In  the  drier  climate  of 
California,  threshing  is  performed  in  the  open  field. 
But  it  is  rarely,  if  ever,  when  this  may  be  done  in  the 
variable  climate  of  the  Atlantic  section,  the  practice 
there  being  to  do  the  threshing  in  the  barn. 

The  best  bean  thresher  in  present  use  is  the  Bidwell 
(Batavia,  N.  Y. );  an  ordinary  threshing  machine  is  too 
hard  on  beans,  causing  too  great  a  loss  by  splitting. 
After  threshing,  it  is  not  usual  to  clean  at  once,  but  the 
beans  are  generally  stored  in  sacks  or  in  bins,  for  clean- 
ing later  on.  Should  the  beans  not  be  well  enough 
dried  after  threshing,  they  may  be  dried  more  thoroughly 
by  being  spread  on  the  floor  an  inch  or  two  deep,  and 
raking  them  over  from  time  to  time. 

A  fan-mill  or  a  seed-cleaner  is  used  for  cleaning. 
One  cleaning  usually  suffices;  though  sometimes  two  or 
three  are  necessary,  depending  on  the  amount  of  im- 
purities to  be  removed.  The  beans  then  undergo  pick- 
ing, either  by  hand  or  on  a  bean-picking  machine. 
The  latter  apparatus  is  about  the  size  of  an  ordinary 
sewing  machine.  The  beans  pass  through  a  hopper 
and  drop  on  an  endless  belt  that  carries  them  to  the 
girl  or  boy  doing  the  picking;  as  the  impure  beans  are 
picked  out,  the  perfect  ones  are  conveyed  along  and  fall 
into  a  tub  or  bin.  After  being  hand-picked,  the  stock 
will  be  in  marketable  condition. 

To  Save  Finest  Seed  for  Private  Use.— To  have 
the  finest,  plumpest,  and  best  matured  seed,  leave  on 
the  plants  all  pods  which  are  the  earliest  to  mature,  and 
which  present  the  most  perfect  shape  and  size,  and  are  true 
to  type;  pick  off  all  other  pods  as  they  show  themselves. 
2 


18  THE    SEED-GROWER. 

By  preserving  seeds  in  their  dry  pods  instead  of 
shelling,  vitality  is  retained  longer,  and  by  growing  a 
sufficiency  at  the  time,  it  will  be  unnecessary  to  save 
seeds  of  the  same  variety  every  year. 

Market. — Seed  beans  form  an  important  item  in  all 
seedsmen's  transactions;  this  has  reference  only  to  gar- 
den varieties.  Made  up  in  numerous  small  sales,  many 
of  the  larger  seed-houses  will  handle  car-loads  of  seed- 
beans  in  course  of  a  single  season.  Some  idea  of  the 
consumption  in  the  country  may  be  formed  when  it  is 
stated  that  one  locality  in  Michigan  alone  produces  from 
50,000  to  75,000  bushels  of  seed  garden-beans  annually, 
mostly  bush  varieties. 

Western  New  York  and  Central  Michigan  constitute  at 
present  the  principal  garden  bean-growing  sections  of 
the  United  States,  for  bush  varieties;  California  for  pole 
or  climbing  sorts.  But  seed-beans  are  also  grown  to  a 
more  or  less  extent  in  other  States,  and  may  be  grown 
to  advantage  in  almost  every  part  of  the  country. 

Owing  to  cheapness  of  production  in  California,  due 
to  running  varieties  doing  well  in  that  dry  climate 
without  the  necessity  of  poles,  as  is  required  for  grow- 
ing them  successfully  in  the  east,  almost  all  seed  of 
Lima  varieties  now  handled  by  the  trade,  is  grown  in 
that  State;  this  may  also  be  said  of  most  other  climbing 
sorts.  In  fact,  before  California  took  up  production, 
growers'  prices  for  Lima  Beans  ranged  usually  from  six 
to  eight  dollars  per  bushel.  Then  most  of  the  crop  was 
grown  in  New  Jersey.  Now,  California  Lima  bean 
seed,  equal  to  the  New  Jersey  grown,  is  laid  down  in 
New  York  at  prices  averaging  from  $2.50  to  $3.00  per 
bushel. 

The  yield  of  seed  beans  for  all  varieties  ranges,  ac- 
cording to  the  season,  from  15  to  30  bushels  per  acre; 


BEAN BEET.  19 

in  California  as  high  as  40  bushels  of  bush  sorts  have 
been  known. 

Growers'  prices  for  beans  fluctuate  with  the  season. 
During  the  past  few  years,  owing  to  unfavorable  previous 
seasons,  prices  asked  by  growers  before  undertaking  a 
crop,  have  ruled  higher  than  for  a  long  time,  ranging 
from  $1.50  to  $2.50  per  bushel  for  the  green-pod 
bush  varieties;  $2.00  to  $2.75  for  wax-pod;  $1.75  to 
$2.50  (in  California)  for  Lima  and  other  pole  varieties. 
The  cheaper  prices  have  been  for  staple  varieties,  such 
as  Red  Valentine,  Mohawk,  Refugee,  Yellow  Six 
Weeks,  Black  Wax,  Golden  Wax,  Lima,  Kentucky 
Wonder,  White  Dutch,  Crease  Back,  etc.  The  newer 
the  variety,  the  higher  the  price;  though,  as  a  rule,  a 
grower  does  not  charge  much  or  any  difference  for 
growing  a  new  variety  unless  it  happens  to  be  the  first 
season  for  it,  and  conditions  warrant  a  higher  charge. 
It  is  the  seed-dealer  proper  who  usually  secures  the 
high  prices  we  see  asked  from  the  consumer  for  seed  of 
a  new  variety. 

BEET. 

The  soil  in  which  beet  succeeds  best  is  a  deep,  light, 
well-enriched,  sandy  loam.  Two  seasons  from  sowing 
are  necessary  for  the  production  of  marketable  beet 
seed.  First,  are  grown  the  roots  which  are  wintered 
over  in  pits  or  silos  or  in  cellars;  these,  being  planted 
out  the  next  spring,  yield  the  seed.  Beet  seed  should 
not  be  gathered  from  plants  which  run  to  flower  the 
first  season. 

Sowing  for  a  commercial  seed  crop  is  made  in  the 
usual  manner  as  for  garden  culture,  but  should  be  made 
somewhat  later  than  when  the  roots  are  intended  for 
table  use.  The  growing  crop  of  roots  should  be  rogued 


20  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

as  far  as  possible  by  the  aid  of  the  foliage,  pulling  up 
and  destroying  all  plants  which  are  not  true  to  type. 
The  dark-red  varieties  possess  dark-red  leaves;  the  pink 
sorts  pale-red  or  mixed  red  and  green  leaves;  the 
white-fleshed  kinds,  pale-green  leaves.  And  before 
storing  for  winter,  complete  the  roguing  by  sorting  the 
roots  carefully,  throwing  out  all  which  show  the  least 
impurity  as  to  type;  to  ascertain  color  of  flesh,  cut  the 
root  slightly  with  a  knife  and  lift  a  small  portion  of  the 
skin. 

European  Method  of  Production. — In  Europe 
for  production  of  beet  seed  on  a  large  scale,  more 
especially  of  Sugar  beet,  crops  are  usually  grown  from 
small  roots  which  measure  j-  inch  to  1J  inches  in 
diameter. 

Seed  so  produced  gives  the  very  best  results,  and 
there  is  an  economical  advantage  in  it  by  the  sav- 
ing that  is  obtained,  not  only  in  the  area  necessary 
for  the  production  of  a  great  quantity  of  roots  to 
plant  large  acreages  for  seeds,  but  in  the  lesser  room 
that  is  also  secured  in  silos  or  pits  for  wintering  over 
small  roots  weighing  but  a  few  ounces,  as  compared 
with  the  space  that  would  be  required  for  large  roots 
weighing  several  pounds  or  more.  Moreover,  the 
small  roots  which  are  obtained  by  the  special  method 
applied  for  their  production,  ripen  earlier  and  become 
hardened  before  frost,  so  that  they  keep  better  over 
winter  than  do  full-grown  roots.  One  acre  of  small 
roots  will  be  sufficient  to  plant  ten  acres  for  commercial 
seed. 

Seed  used  for  production  of  small  roots  is  carefully 
saved  in  the  usual  manner  from  full-grown  roots  which 
were  true  to  variety.  It  is  sown  in  spring,  very  thinly, 
in  broad  rows,  12  to  18  inches  apart,  at  the  rate  of  20 


BEET.  21 

to  25  pounds  of  seed  per  acre.  By  broad  rows  there  is 
a  greater  crop  of  roots  per  acre,  as  two  or  three  roots 
may  be  grown  side  by  side.  The  seedlings  are  thinned 
to  1  inch  apart  in  the  row;  this  close  thinning  dwarfs 
the  roots  and  causes  the  earlier  ripening  and  hardening 
before  frost  previously  alluded  to. 

When  taken  up  for  winter  storage,  the  small  roots 
are  carefully  sorted  over,  all  being  rejected  which  dis- 
play any  impurity  as  to  type.  These  small  roots  are 
planted  out  the  same  distance  apart  as  for  large  roots. 

In  growing  small  roots  of  Sugar  beet  seed,  the  course 
is  in  the  first  year  to  select  for  seed  a  dozen  large  roots 
which  have  best  stood  a  test  made  from  a  great  number 
of  large  roots  by  chemical  analysis  of  the  properties  of 
each  root.  These  roots  are  planted  next  Spring  and 
should  yield  about  one  pound  of  seed  to  each  root. 
The  seed  from  each  root  is  then  saved  separately,  each 
lot  being  numbered  1,  2,  3,  4,  &c.  The  next  spring 
these  seeds  are  sown  in  separate  fields  to  produce  small 
roots  (sowing  thinly,  etc.,  as  directed  above),  the  fields 
being  numbered  to  correspond  respectively  with  the 
various  lots  of  seed.  A  small  sample  of  each  lot  of 
seed  is  also  sown  in  separate  rows  to  produce  large 
roots  for  chemical  test  as  before.  Then  in  accordance 
with  the  result  of  the  tests  made  from  these  large  roots, 
the  different  lots  of  small  roots  produced  in  the  fields 
are  accepted  or  rejected,  those  lots  of  course  being  re- 
jected whose  large  roots  failed  to  stand  the  test.  The 
small  roots  in  the  fields  accepted  are  then  dug  up  and 
wintered  over  in  silos,  to  be  planted  out  in  due  course 
next  spring  for  production  of  commercial  seed. 

Wintering  Roots. — Storing  of  roots  over  winter  is 
done  in  pits  or  silos,  made  12  feet  or  more  long, 
18  inches  deep,  3  feet  wide,  being  covered  with  six 


22  THE    SEED-GROWER. 

inches  or  so  of  straw,  and  then  six  inches  of  earth,  in- 
creased to  eighteen  as  winter  sets  in,  packed  firmly  and 
ridged  so  as  to  turn  off  water.  Roots  may  also  be  kept 
in  a  cool  cellar,  piled  in  heaps  and  covered  with  turf. 

When  storing  in  pits,  the  tops  of  the  large  roots 
should  be  cut  off,  doing  it  carefully  so  as  not  to  injure 
the  centre  germ;  but  in  the  case  of  small  roots  it  is  cus- 
tomary to  allow  the  tops  and  leaves  to  remain  on.  The 
small  roots  may  be  placed  in  hollow,  tapering  piles, 
with  an  air  chamber  about  one  foot  wide  at  the  bottom, 
made  extending  the  length  of  the  pit.  This  is  formed 
by  piling  the  roots  with  the  tops  the  same  distance 
apart  on  the  floor  of  the  pit  and  drawing  them  together 
as  other  roots  are  laid  in. 

Planting  Roots.— The  roots  should  be  planted  out 
in  spring  as  soon  as  all  danger  from  frost  is  past.  Set 
them  in  rows  three  feet  apart,  eighteen  inches  in  the 
row.  Exercise  care  not  to  break  the  main  or  tap  root, 
nor  the  young  sprouts  which  grew  during  winter. 
Holes  for  planting  large  roots  may  be  made  for  the 
round  varieties  with  a  dibble,  for  the  long  sorts  with  a 
crowbar.  Press  earth  firmly  around  the  tap  root,  and 
cover  evenly  with  the  surface  of  the  ground.  Cultivate 
thoroughly;  keep  free  and  clean  from  weeds;  hoe  the 
earth  to  the  roots. 

Harvesting.— Seeds  are  produced  along  the  stem, 
pinching  the  tips  of  which  as  seed  begins  to  develop, 
will  improve  its  size,  but  this  may  be  omitted  in  grow- 
ing seed  on  a  large  scale.  Seed  ripening  is  indicated 
by  fruit  turning  brown,  and  when  bulk  of  the  crop  is 
at  this  stage,  harvest  may  be  begun,  with  an  ordinary 
sickle  or  reaping-hook. 

Seed  is  always  fully  matured  before  the  stalks  have 
become  dry,  but  if  they  are  allowed  to  become  too 


BEET.  23 

dry  before  cutting,  a  great  deal  of  seed  may  be  lost. 
The  stalks  may  be  laid  in  rows,  the  heads  one  way,  or 
they  may  be  tied  into  bundles  and  stacked  vertically  on 
the  field  and  left  to  dry.  Harvesting  should  be  done 
in  dry  weather,  and  the  cutting  should  not  be  permitted 
to  get  wet. 

Threshing,  Cleaning.— Threshing  may  be  done 
with  a  flail,  on  a  cloth  spread  on  the  floor.  In  Europe 
the  method  is  to  draw  the  stalks  through  two  jawrs  with 
saw-like  teeth,  prior  to  which  the  stalks  are  usually 
given  a  preliminary  threshing  on  the  floor.  Another 
method  in  Europe  is  to  separate  seed  from  the  stems  by 
the  use  of  an  endless  oscillating  apron  from  a  hopper. 
The  seeds  roll  off,  while  the  other  matter  adheres  to  the 
apron,  and  is  thrown  out  at  the  other  end  of  the 
machine. 

After  seed  has  been  threshed,  it  should  be  spread 
thinly  and  allowed  to  remain  until  it  has  become 
thoroughly  dry,  which  may  take  several  weeks;  then  it 
may  be  run  through  the  fan-mill  or  seed-cleaner  one  or 
more  times.  Pieces  of  sticks  that  remain  may  be  hand- 
picked.  After  cleaning,  seed  may  be  stored  in  barrels. 
Before  shipping,  run  through  the  seed-cleaner  again  to 
remove  the  dust. 

To  Save  the  Finest  Seed  for  Private  Use. — 
Select  the  finest  and  handsomest  roots,  true  to  variety, 
and  save  only  the  larger  and  earliest  matured  seeds 
which  form  on  their  plants  at  the  base  of  the  branches 
on  the  main  stalk,  clipping  off  the  remainder.  Take 
up  the  stalks  with  the  roots  attached  and  hang  in  a  loft 
or  garret  to  dry,  spreading  a  cloth  beneath  for  seeds  to 
drop  to.  Vegetation  keeps  up  for  quite  a  while,  and 
will  ripen  the  immature  seed.  Seed  in  such  small 
quantity  may  be  shaken  out,  or  stripped  between  the 
hands,  and  cleaned  in  a  hand  sieve. 


24  THE    SEED-GROWER. 

Market. — Beet  seed  is  handled  extensively  by  the 
trade.  Some  estimate  of  its  consumption  in  the  entire 
country  may  be  formed  when  it  is  stated  that  upwards 
of  150,000  pounds  of  seed  of  the  staple  table  varieties 
are  now  sold  annually  by  the  combined  trade  in  the 
four  large  cities  of  New  York,  Chicago,  Philadelphia 
and  Detroit;  considerable  quantities  are  also  handled 
by  seed  houses  in  other  large  centres,  such  as  Boston, 
Baltimore,  Cincinnati,  St.  Louis,  San  Francisco,  etc. 

The  greater  portion  of  the  beet  seed  used  in  the 
United  States  comes  from  Europe.  Not  that  the  cli- 
mate and  soil  over  there  are  better  suited  for  its  pro- 
duction than  is  the  case  in  this  country,  but  because 
there  are  comparatively  few  growing  establishments 
here  as  yet  and  their  operations  are  not  extensive. 
This  European  beet  seed  is  of  high  standard,  but  seed 
equally  as  good  is  produced  in  the  United  States,  and 
there  should  be  no  occasion  for  importation  of  a  single 
pound.  Wherever  its  production  has  been  undertaken 
in  such  sections  as  the  Connecticut  valley,  Eastern, 
Washington,  and  Northern  California,  most  excellent 
seed,  fully  up  to  the  standard  of  European  production, 
has  been  obtained;  and  it  has  cost  no  more  to  grow 
than  it  does  in  Europe. 

In  a  favorable  season,  a  yield  of  table  varieties  of 
beet  seed  is  from  1,000  to  1,200  pounds  per  acre;  in 
Europe,  for  the  field  sorts,  namely,  Sugar  beet  and 
Mangold  Wurtzel,  from  2,000  to  2,500  pounds  per  acre 
have  been  produced. 

In  prices,  European  grown  seed  of  table  varieties, 
such  as  Egyptian,  Blood  Turnip,  Long  Blood,  is  laid 
down  in  New  York  at  eleven  to  thirteen  cents  per 
pound;  field  varietiesl  at  five  to  eight  cents  per  pound 


BORECOLE   OR   KALE.  25 

BORECOLE  OR  KALE. 

This  is  a  member  of  the  cabbage  family  and  method 
of  cultivation  is  similar  to  that  for  cabbage.  The  differ- 
ent varieties  of  borecole  readily  mix  and  care  must  be 
exercised  in  growing  a  seed-crop  to  keep  them  far  apart 
from  each  other.  In  fact,  even  cabbage  itself  or  any  of 
its  sub-varieties,  should  not  be  permitted  to  flower  in 
the  vicinity  of  a  crop  of  borecole,  as  mixture  may  re- 
sult from  pollen  being  carried  from  one  variety  to  an- 
other by  bees,  flies  or  the  wind. 

Stock -seed,  or  seed  used  for  growing  the  main  seed- 
crop,  should  be  perfectly  true.  While  this  is  impor- 
tant, the  careful  grower  does  not  depend  altogether  on 
his  stock- seed,  but  examines  the  growing  crop  and 
rogues  it  carefully  before  blossoming  time,  removing  all 
plants  which  show  impurity;  also  pulling  up  and  de- 
stroying all  which  display  single  leaves,  for  the  best 
kale  should  have  leaves  which  are  as  curled  as  possible. 

Make  sowing  of  seed  late  in  the  summer  or  about 
August  20th,  according  to  climate  or  latitude.  The 
rows  should  be  made  three  to  four  feet  apart,  plants 
being  thinned  to  two  feet  apart.  As  borecole  is  hardy, 
the  crop  is  allowed  to  remain  over  winter  in  the  field 
where  it  is  grown.  In  spring  the  soil  about  the  plants 
should  be  loosened  with  a  hoe  or  a  cultivator,  which 
will  be  about  all  the  cultivation  necessary. 

Harvest  when  the  bulk  of  the  seed-pods  have  turned 
yellow,  but  they  should  not  be  allowed  to  become  too 
dry,  or  seed  may  spill  out.  The  cutting  should  be 
done  on  a  clear,  dry  day,  early  in  the  forenoon,  or  when 
the  dew  is  on;  it  should  be  done  by  hand,  using  a  long, 
heavy-bladed  knife  for  the  purpose.  The  stalks  are 
gathered  in  small  heaps,  the  heads  laid  one  way;  they 


26  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

are  left  to  remain  for  a  week  or  so  to  become  dry.  A 
cloth  to  catch  loose  seeds  should  be  placed  in  the  wagon 
used  for  hauling  to  the  barn. 

Threshing,  Cleaning.— Threshing  may  be  done  in 
the  threshing  machine,  or  with  a  flail  on  a  cloth  spread 
on  the  floor.  In  using  the  machine,  it  should  be  pre- 
viously examined  to  see  if  free  from  seeds,  which  may 
have  lodged  in  cracks,  shelves,  etc.,  from  previous 
crops.  Clean  by  running  through  the  fan -mill;  after 
which  spread  seed  on  a  cloth  in  the  drying-room,  and 
leave  for  several  weeks  or  longer  to  become  thoroughly 
dry.  It  may  then  be  run  through  the  seed-cleaner 
again  for  final  cleaning,  and  afterwards  stored  in  sacks. 

Market. — The  demand  for  kale  seed  is  extremely 
heavy,  more  especially  among  those  seed-dealers  located 
in  New  York,  Philadelphia,  Baltimore,  Richmond, 
Norfolk,  and  Charleston,  who  supply  truckers  or  farm 
gardeners  in  the  South,  where  this  vegetable  is  grown 
extensively  as  a  farm  crop  for  Northern  markets.  Up- 
wards of  200,000  pounds  of  seed  are  used  annually  by 
the  trade,  most  of  which  is  imported  from  Europe;  the 
balance  is  produced  mainly  on  Long  Island,  New  York, 
of  quality  equal  to  best  European.  There  is  no  neces- 
sity for  importation  whatever,  as  all  the  kale  seed  in 
demand  in  the  United  States  may  be  grown  at  home  at 
as  low  cost  of  production  as  foreign  seed. 

In  good  seasons,  a  seed-crop  is  from  750  to  1,000 
pounds  per  acre.  European  seed  is  laid  down  in  New 
York  at  from  fifteen  to  twenty  cents  per  pound. 

BROCCOLI. 

The  same  cultivation  answers  for  broccoli  as  is  neces- 
sary for  cabbage,  it  being  a  member  of  the  same  family, 
broccoli  is  hardier  than  cauliflower,  which  it  closely 


BRUSSELS    SPROUTS.  27 

resembles  in  form,  appearance  and  flavor,  and  seems  to 
require  a  moist,  cool  climate  to  meet  with  success. 

For  a  seed  crop,  the  plants  are  not  allowed  to  form 
full  heads,  but  sowing  is  made  later  than  when  such  is 
the  purpose,  usually  in  northern  latitudes  in  July. 
Tendency  to  head  may  be  retarded  when  it  shows  by 
transplanting  at  once  in  fresh  soil.  On  approach  of 
winter,  the  plant  with  the  root  entire  is  taken  up  and 
stored  in  a  trench,  after  the  manner  hereafter  described 
for  wintering  over  cabbage.  If  but  a  small  quantity  of 
seed  is  to  be  saved,  plants  may  be  kept  over  winter  in  a 
cold  frame,  or  in  a  cellar. 

As  soon  as  the  ground  can  be  worked  in  spring, 
plants  are  set  out  in  rows  three  feet  apart,  two  feet 
in  the  row.  Draw  up  earth  well  about  plants,  repeating 
as  they  advance  in  growth.  Cultivate  thoroughly  and 
keep  down  weeds.  Rogue  by  pulling  up  those  plants 
which  produce  large,  coarse  and  wavy  leaves,  and 
manifest  impurity  as  respects  color  of  flower. 

Harvesting,  threshing  and  cleaning  are  similar  to 
borecole. 

Market. — Every  seedsman  keeps  broccoli  in  stock, 
although  sale  of  seed  is  somewhat  limited  as  compared 
with  many  other  varieties.  But  little  seed  is  grown 
here,  importation  from  Europe  being  depended  upon. 

In  a  good  season,  seed  yield  is  250  to  300  pounds  per 
acre;  imported  seed  is  laid  down  in  New  York  at  from 
SI. 50  to  $2.00  per  pound. 

BRUSSELS  SPROUTS. 

Also  a  member  of  the  cabbage  family,  diminutive 
sprouts  or  heads  being  formed  along  the  stalks  in  the 
axils  of  the  leaves.  It  is  hardier  than  ordinary  cab- 
bage. 


28  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

For  a  seed-crop,  seed  is  sown  in  northern  States  in 
August,  the  plant  not  being  allowed  to  become  fully 
developed.  In  latitudes  where  the  climate  is  not  too 
rigorous,  plants  may  be  left  in  the  field  undisturbed 
over  winter,  but  where  it  is  too  severe  as  in  the  northern 
Atlantic  States,  they  should  be  dug  up  entire  and  stored 
either  in  a  trench  or  in  a  sheltered  place,  covered  lightly 
with  coarse  litter,  or  in  a  cellar,  the  plants  being  packed 
closely  with  soil.  In  spring  they  should  be  set  out  two 
feet  apart,  in  rows  three  feet  apart. 

Cultivation,  harvesting,  threshing,  cleaning,  etc.,  are 
similar  to  what  has  been  given  in  preceding  pages  for 
borecole. 

Market. — The  quantity  of  Brussels  sprouts  seed  con- 
sumed in  the  United  States  is  upwards  of  10,000  pounds 
annually.  The  greater  portion  of  this  is  imported  from 
Europe,  from  whence  it  is  laid  down  in  New  York  at 
about  fifty  cents  per  pound;  the  remainder  is  raised 
mostly  on  Long  Island,  New  York,  and  is  equal  to  the 
imported  in  quality.  A  yield  of  seed  in  a  favorable 
season  is  from  400  to  500  pounds  per  acre. 

CABBAGE. 

While  this  vegetable  thrives  best  in  a  cool,  moist 
atmosphere,  or  where  the  nights  are  uniformly  cool,  it 
succeeds  well  in  almost  any  section  of  the  United  States. 
It  will  grow  in  any  soil  from  a  light  sandy  to  a  heavy 
loam,  but  is  a  gross  feeder  and  requires  heavy  manur- 
ing, either  well-rotted  stable  manure  or  a  commercial 
fertilizer  made  up  to  contain  about  seven  parts  of  nitro- 
gen to  eight  of  available  phosphoric  acid  and  about  six 
of  potash.  The  soil  should  be  well  harrowed  and  made 
into  fine  tilth. 

For  the  seed  bed,  the  soil  should  not  be  too  rich  ; 


CABBAGE.  29 

while  it  should  be  well  prepared,  no  manure  of  any 
kind  should  be  used;  it  induces  weakling  plants.  Some 
sow  seed  directly  in  the  field  where  the  plants  are  to 
remain,  considering  it  more  expeditious  and  satisfac- 
tory, as  there  is  no  check  in  growth  as  in  transplanting. 
By  sowing  with  a  drill  to  drop  seed  about  as  far  apart 
as  plants  should  stand,  but  little  thinning  will  be  neces- 
sary. In  thinning,  pull  the  rankest  growing  plants, 
reserving  those  possessing  fine  mid-ribs  and  general 
sturdiness.  Good  cultivation  is  necessary  for  a  full 
crop  of  cabbage  seed  from  the  time  of  sowing  till  final 
stage  of  seeding.  Cabbage  for  seed  should  not  be  grown 
oftener  than  twice  in  the  same  ground  without  rotation 
of  crops,  one  season  for  production  of  plants  and  one 
for  seed. 

Cabbage  seed  may  be  produced  by  three  methods, 
from  solid  or  perfectly  developed  heads,  from  partially 
or  half-formed  heads,  and  from  stumps  from  which 
solid  heads  have  been  removed  for  use.  By  either 
process,  excellent  seed  answering  for  all  practical  gar- 
dening purposes  may  be  obtained. 

The  First  Method:  From  Solid  Heads.— This  is 
practiced  for  obtaining  extra-selected  stock-seed,  or  seed 
to  be  used  for  growing  a  commercial  or  field  crop.  It 
enables  roguing  to  be  critically  performed,  as  only  extra- 
choice  heads  must  be  selected  to  produce  stock  seed. 

Second  Method. — With  stock  seed  produced  as 
above  for  starting  the  crop,  a  crop  of  commercial  seed 
may  be  raised  by  the  second  method,  from  partially 
developed  heads,  although  the  experienced  grower  con- 
tinues roguing  with  this  crop,  as  mixtures  and  inferior 
plants  are  readily  detected  by  him  in  a  field  of  half- 
formed  heads;  and  providing  care  is  thus  observed  in 
throwing  out  all  impure  plants,  seed  produced  by  the 


80  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

second  method  gives  the  best  results  and  is  otherwise 
satisfactory.  This  is  the  method  pursued  by  the  lead- 
ing commercial  seed-growers;  the  economical  advan- 
tage of  it  being  later  sowing,  and  such  plants  winter 
better  than  do  solid  heads;  while  the  older  and  more 
experienced  growers  contend  that  there  is  a  bigger  scope 
for  selection  of  plants  for  stock-seed  in  a  large  field  of 
partial  heads,  than  there  is  in  a  small  field  of  solid  ones. 

Sowing  of  seed  for  this  crop  is  to  be  timed  so  that  the 
plants  will  be  just  coming  to  a  partial  heading  stage 
when  it  will  be  necessary  either  to  take  them  up  for 
winter  storage  or  to  cover  them  up  in  the  field  in  such 
climates  where  they  can  safely  remain  in  the  field  over 
winter. 

On  Long  Island,  New  York,  this  sowing  is  done  for 
Early  Jersey  Wakefield  about  July  5th;  for  Early  Flat 
Dutch  and  such  varieties  about  June  20th;  for  Late 
Flat  Dutch  and  other  late  varieties,  about  June  5th, 
transplanting  early  varieties  from  August  15th  to  August 
30th;  late  sorts,  from  July  15th  to  July  31st.  In  this 
locality,  cabbage  seed  is  usually  harvested  during  the 
last  week  in  July  of  the  following  year. 

Along  the  Puget  Sound  in  Washington,  sowing  is 
done  of  early  varieties  about  June  20th;  late  kinds 
about  May  20th;  transplanting  of  the  former  to  the  field 
is  done  about  July  25th;  the  latter  about  July  5th. 
Medium  early  varieties  are  sown  about  ten  days  later 
than  the  late  sorts. 

Sowing  is  first  made  in  seed-bed,  in  rows  ten  inches 
apart,  and  when  plants  are  of  sufficient  size,  they  are 
transferred  to  rows  two  feet  apart,  sixteen  inches  in  the 
row;  about  November  10th  (on  Long  Island)  they  are 
taken  up  for  winter  storage. 

In  Washington  the  plants  are  transplanted  from  seed 


CABBAGE.  31 

bed  to  rows  4  feet  apart,  18  inches  in  the  row  for  extra 
early  varieties,  3  feet  for  later  kinds.  In  that  climate 
plants  are  not  removed  in  the  fall  for  winter  storage, 
but  are  simply  covered  with  earth  where  they  stand  in 
the  field,  a  plow  being  used  for  the  purpose. 

Stock-seeds. — When  the  purpose  is  to  raise  well- 
formed  heads  for  stock-seed,  seed  is  sown  at  the  usual 
time  in  spring  for  table  use,  or  much  earlier  than  for 
the  main  crop  of  half-formed  heads.  Prior  to  being 
stored  for  winter,  these  heads  undergo  critical  selection. 
Only  those  are  selected  and  preserved,  which,  besides 
being  true  to  variety,  are  also  uniform  as  to  shape,  hav- 
ing a  short  stem,  thick,  smooth  and  handsome  outside 
leaves  but  not  too  leafy,  and  with  the  body  of  the  plant 
in  general  looking  vigorous  and  healthy.  Enough 
should  be  taken  to  secure  sufficient  stock-seed  to  last  for 
several  years'  seeding.  In  fact,  it  is  known  by  all  exper- 
ienced gardeners  that  cabbage  seed  three  years'  old  pro- 
duces better-formed  heads  than  does  perfectly  fresh  seed. 

In  the  case  of  solid  heads,  the  seed  shoots  may  be  as- 
sisted to  come  through  by  carefully  separating  the  outer 
leaves;  some  make  two  cross  cuts  carefully  with  a  knife  to 
open  the  head,  so  as  to  let  the  seed  stalk  break  through. 

When  dependence  has  to  be  placed  on  stock-seed 
obtained  from  a  seed-dealer,  or  other  outside  source, 
the  safer  plan  is  to  sow  a  small  quantity  of  same  in 
advance  of  sowing  of  the  main  crop,  which  will  enable 
the  grower  to  judge  of  the  purity  of  seed  from  solid 
heads  so  produced. 

Wintering  Plants  in  Trenches. — In  the  northern 
Atlantic  cabbage-growing  sections,  the  winters  are  too 
severe  to  allow  cabbage  plants  to  remain  safely  in  the 
open  over  winter.  The  general  practice  in  these  local- 
ities is  to  dig  up  the  plants  entire  on  the  approach  of 


32  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

winter  and  store  them  in  trenches  made  by  a  plow 
going  and  returning  in  the  same  place.  The  manner  of 
this  is,  a  cabbage  plow  is  run  close  to  the  edge  of  a  row 
of  plants,  loosening  and  lifting  them.  The  plants  are 
laid  in  the  spaces  between  the  rows.  Every  eighth  or 
tenth  vacant  row  is  then  made  into  a  trench  to  receive 
the  plants  which  were  taken  out  of  eight  or  ten  rows. 
The  trench  is  made  wide  and  deep  enough  for  plants 
to  be  packed  in  two  or  three  rows  closely  therein,  roots 
down,  slightly  slanting;  the  tops  of  the  heads  being  but 
a  trifle  above  the  level  of  the  ground  when  placed  in 
the  trench. 

These  trenches  are  covered  with  about  one  foot  of 
earth,  formed  by  a  large  plow  throwing  large  furrows 
on  each  side;  this  covering  then  by  use  of  an  asparagus 
ridger  is  dressed  up  to  a  sharp  ridge  to  keep  water  off 
and  prevent  too  hard  freezing. 

The  trenches  are  uncovered  in  spring  by  running  a 
plow  as  closely  as  possible  to  the  buried  plants,  the 
furrow  being  turned  away  so  that  only  the  earth  is  left 
that  is  over  the  plants.  This  remaining  earth  is  now 
removed  with  a  large,  wide  hoe,  and  plants  are  then 
ready  to  be  taken  out. 

Setting  Out  in  Spring. — In  spring,  as  soon  as  the 
soil  can  be  worked,  the  plants  are  set  out  in  rows  or 
furrows,  which  may  be  made  in  the  same  field,  plowing 
and  harrowing  for  the  purpose  the  spaces  between  the 
trenches  and  then  marking  out  the  furrows.  These  fur- 
rows are  made  with  a  medium-sized  plow,  going  and 
returning  in  the  same  place,  making  a  clean  smooth 
furrow  the  width  of  the  plow  and  as  deep  as  you 
would  commonly  plow;  the  furrows  are  made  four 
feet  apart  for  early  varieties,  five  feet  for  late. 

The  plants  are  laid  two  feet  apart,  flat  in  the  rows,  the 


CABBAGE.  33 

roots  parallel  with  the  row;  the  head  will  raise  the  plant 
so  that  it  will  be  on  an  angle  of  about  45  degrees.  The 
soil  is  drawn  up  well  about  the  stalk,  and  for  support 
this  is  kept  up  as  the  plants  advance  in  growth. 

In  sections  of  Europe  like  England,  where  cabbage 
withstands  the  winter  in  the  open,  the  method  prac- 
ticed for  raising  cabbage  seed  is  similar  to  the  usage  on 
the  northern  Pacific  Coast.  The  plants  are  allowed  to 
remain  over  winter  where  they  are  grown;  transplant- 
ing being  done  in  autumn  so  as  to  toughen  the  tissues 
and  enable  the  plants  to  withstand  the  rigor  of  winter, 
but  this  is  not  done  in  Oregon  or  Washington. 

Wintering  Plants  in  the  Open  in  Northern  At- 
lantic States. — Those  who  care  to  take  the  risk  of 
wintering  plants  in  the  field  may  do  so  after  the  follow- 
ing method.  Sometimes  nearly  all  the  plants  will 
winter  through  safely,  but  then  again,  as  most  frequently 
happens,  but  fifty  to  seventy-five  per  cent,  of  them  will 
survive.  It  will  hardly  answer  for  crops  on  a  large 
scale,  owing  to  leaving  so  many  open  spaces  for  weeds 
to  grow,  but  may  do  for  market  gardeners  who  save 
their  own  seeds. 

The  plants  are  transplanted  late  in  the  fall,  say  about 
November  1st,  to  the  place  in  the  field  in  which  they 
are  to  produce  seed.  As  has  been  directed  for  setting 
out  in  spring,  this  is  done  by  plowing  deep  furrows  four 
feet  apart  for  early  varieties,  five  feet  for  late,  and  lay- 
ing the  plants  therein  two  feet  apart,  with  the  roots 
parallel  with  the  furrow.  The  earth  is  then  thrown  in 
and  pressed  over  the  root  and  stalk;  the  leaves  are  par- 
tially covered,  these  being  gathered  about  and  over  the 
head.  Toward  the  end  of  the  month,  or  on  approach 
of  winter,  with  plow  and  hoe,  the  plants  are  covered 
completely  with  earth,  sufficiently  to  protect  the  heads 
3 


34  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

from  alternate  freezing  and  thawing,  the  soil  being 
pressed  firmly  thereon. 

As  soon  as  the  ground  can  be  worked  in  spring,  the 
covering  is  removed  with  plow  and  hoe,  and  the  outer 
leaves  are  separated  to  allow  the  seed  shoots  to  come 
through. 

Seed  from  Stumps.— In  England,  in  raising  seed 
from  stumps,  the  practice  is  to  sow  seed  for  the  crop  in 
May  or  June;  the  plants  thus  forming  heads  in  early 
autumn.  These  heads  are  then  cut  and  the  stumps 
after  being  permitted  to  produce  some  new  growth,  are 
transplanted  or  allowed  to  remain  where  they  are.  The 
following  spring,  the  growths  produce  flower  stems  and 
seed  in  due  course. 

Another  method  in  England  which  is  practiced  by 
some  market  gardeners  who  grow  the  heads  for  market, 
is  to  sow  in  August,  the  plants  being  left  in  the  field 
where  they  stand  over  winter  and  heading  in  spring; 
the  heads  are  then  cut  and  the  stumps  produce  side 
growths  immediately,  and  subsequently  flower  stems 
and  seed. 

In  the  United  States  the  stumps  are  wintered  over  in 
the  same  manner  as  has  been  directed  for  plants  with 
heads. 

This  practice  of  raising  'seed  from  stumps  will  an- 
swer particularly  for  private  use,  especially  when  the 
heads  that  are  cut  are  extra  choice. 

Harvesting,  Threshing,  Cleaning. — As  has  been 
given  for  borecole,  the  operations  for  harvesting, 
threshing,  and  cleaning  cabbage,  are  similarly  per- 
formed. 

Market. — The  consumption  of  cabbage  seed  in  the 
United  States  is  exceedingly  large,  approximating  1,- 
000,000  pounds  yearly;  as  besides  being  found  in  every 


CABBAGE — CARROT.  35 

private  garden,  this  vegetable  is  grown  extensively  by 
market  gardeners.  Less  than  one-half  of  this  seed  is  im- 
ported from  Europe,  consisting  mostly  of  early  kinds; 
the  remainder  (equal  to  the  best  of  Europe)  is  grown  in 
this  country,  being  produced  on  Long  Island,  New  York, 
in  Rhode  Island,  Connecticut,  Pennsylvania,  Eastern 
Virginia,  Washington,  and  in  some  few  of  the  Middle 
Western  States.  It  is  an  industry  that  has  made  con- 
siderable progress  in  recent  years  along  the  Puget  Sound 
in  northwestern  Washington,  the  production  of  cabbage 
seed  there  now  reaching  150,000  pounds  annually. 
The  climate  of  that  locality  suits  cabbage  for  seed;  win- 
ters being  milder  and  moister,  while  summers  are  cooler 
and  drier  than  in  the  same  latitude  on  the  Atlantic  side. 
However,  with  care  and  proper  attention,  no  one  need 
fear  failure  in  growing  excellent  cabbage  seed  almost 
anywhere  in  the  United  States. 

In  Europe,  a  yield  of  seed  ranges  from  600  to  1,000 
pounds  per  acre,  at  from  thirty  to  forty  cents  per  pound, 
laid  down  in  New  York;  on  Long  Island,  from  400  to 
500  pounds  per  acre,  at  from  thirty-five  to  forty  cents 
per  pound;  in  Washington,  from  700  to  1,000  pounds 
per  acre,  at  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  cents  per  pound ; 
occasionally  1,500  pounds  per  acre  have  resulted  in  the 
latter  section. 

CARROT. 

For  a  crop  of  carrot  seed,  the  same  general  directions 
will  apply  that  have  been  given  for  beet,  to  which 
refer.  Wild  carrot  will  mix  and  ruin  seed  if  allowed  in 
the  vicinity  of  a  seed  crop. 

In  sorting  over  roots  to  be  planted,  select  only  the 
handsomest  shaped  specimens,  which  show  no  impurity 
as  to  variety.  These  are  topped  and  wintered  over  same 


36  THE  SEED-GROWER. 

as  for  beets,  and  are  set  out  as  soon  as  heavy  frost  is  over 
in  the  spring,  being  placed  with  the  crowns  even  with  the 
surface,  in  rows  three  feet  apart,  six  inches  in  the  row. 
As  required  with  all  planting,  the  earth  should  be 
pressed  firmly  about  the  roots.  Cultivate  thoroughly 
and  keep  down  weeds. 

In  California,  wintering  of  roots  is  done  somewhat 
differently  from  the  practice  on  the  Atlantic  side  as 
above  stated.  There  the  roots  which  are  ploughed  up 
in  the  fall,  instead  of  being  stored  in  pits  as  in  the 
East,  are  topped,  and  then  put  into  sacks,  which  are 
simply  kept  stored  in  sheds  or  out  of  doors  until  wanted 
for  planting  in  January  or  February. 

Carrot  seed  forms  in  umbels  or  clusters,  and  when 
bulk  of  the  crop  is  ripe,  indicated  by  the  stalks  becom- 
ing dry,  and  the  umbels  turning  brown,  harvest  is  in 
order.  Cutting  is  usually  done  by  hand. 

Threshing  and  Cleaning.— When  seed  is  thor- 
oughly dry,  thresh  lightly  with  a  flail  on  a  cloth  spread 
on  the  floor,  for  if  the  stalks  are  broken  too  much,  it 
will  render  seed  more  difficult  to  clean. 

In  Europe,  cleaning  is  done  in  a  special  machine 
made  with  a  wooden  cylinder  having  steel  teeth,  for  the 
purpose  of  taking  out  the  beard  and  small  splinters. 
Without  this  machine,  seed  is  cleaned  with  hand  sieves, 
using  first,  one  with  a  coarse  mesh  to  remove  the  pieces 
of  stalks;  next,  one  with  a  finer  mesh,  in  which  seed  is 
rubbed  by  hand  to  remove  the  beard.  Seed  is  then 
spread  on  a  cloth  and  left  in  the  sun  for  a  day  or  so  to 
dry.  It  is  again  cleaned  in  the  sieve,  hand  rubbing 
being  repeated  and  sticks  picked  out.  The  next  day, 
another  cleaning  is  given,  and  finally  seed  is  passed 
through  the  fan  mill.  It  will  then  be  ready  for  storing 
in  sacks. 


CARROT — CAULIFLOWER.  37 

To  Save  Seed  for  Private  Use.— Select  a  few  of 
the  finest  roots  and  hang  same  with  plant  entire  to  a 
rafter,  in  a  loft,  and  when  seeds  are  wanted,  they  may 
be  rubbed  out  between  the  hands. 

Market. — Carrot  seed  follows  beet  in  order  of  con- 
sumption. The  bulk  of  seed  used  in  this  country  is 
imported  from  France  and  Germany;  European  grow- 
ers having  created  a  high  standard  for  the  quality  of 
their  carrot  seed,  due  to  painstaking  methods. 

In  some  of  the  New  England  States  carrot  seed  is 
grown  equal  to  the  best  European  seed.  There  is  also 
a  considerable  production  of  carrot  seed  in  Central 
California,  but  for  some  reason  or  other,  most  of  it  so 
far,  has  not  proved  to  be  as  satisfactory  as  New  England 
or  European  seed.  This  is  properly  considered  to  be 
due  to  faultiness  in  method,  and  not  owing  to  climatic 
conditions  in  that  State  affecting  the  nature  of  the  car- 
rot, as  is  by  some  thought  to  be  the  cause. 

In  a  favorable  season,  a  yield  of  seed  is  from  500  to 
600  pounds  per  acre;  prices  paid  to  growers  range  from 
sixteen  to  twenty  cents  per  pound. 

CAULIFLOWER. 

This  vegetable  is  successfully  grown  in  our  country, 
more  especially  in  the  sections  bordering  on  the  coast, 
both  on  the  Atlantic  and  the  Pacific.  In  the  former 
section,  however,  there  has  been  some  difficulty  hereto- 
fore in  raising  seed,  owing  to  rot  affecting  the  seed  stalk 
at  a  certain  stage  in  its  growth,  and  the  plant  sometimes 
being  attacked  by  an  insect  which  injures  the  fertilizing 
part  of  the  seed  flower;  these  difficulties  have  not  been 
met  with  in  seed  production  on  the  Northern  Pacific 
Coast. 

Cauliflower  does  well  in  either  a  heavy  loam  or  a 


38  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

light,  sandy  soil,  but  a  moist,  saline  atmosphere  ap- 
pears to  be  necessary  for  the  successful  development  of 
the  flower  or  head.  This  statement,  however,  will  bear 
contradiction,  when  it  is  considered  that  cauliflower 
superior  to  most  of  what  is  produced  on  the  Atlantic 
side,  is  successfully  grown  in  the  dry  atmosphere  of 
California. 

For  a  seed-crop,  being  provided  with  choice  stock- 
seed,  make  sowing,  in  the  northern  Atlantic  section,  in 
July,  and  in  autumn  store  the  partially  formed  heads 
with  their  roots  entire,  over  winter  in  a  trench,  a  vacant 
cold  frame,  or  in  a  cellar  packed  closely  together  with 
soil.  In  spring,  set  them  out  and  cultivate,  harvest, 
etc. ,  same  as  for  a  crop  of  cabbage. 

On  the  Pacific  coast,  along  Puget  Sound,  there  are 
two  methods  in  practice.  Some  growers  sow  seed  in 
hotbeds  early  in  February;  then  as  soon  as  plants  are 
large  enough  they  are  transferred  to  cold  frames,  in 
which  they  are  allowed  to  remain  until  about  May  1st, 
or  until  plants  are  large  enough  and  the  weather  is 
favorable,  when  they  are  transplanted  to  open  field,  in 
rows  4  feet  apart,  3  feet  in  the  row.  Other  growers 
sow  seed  in  the  fall,  about  September  1st,  wintering 
their  plants  in  cold  frames;  and  as  soon  as  weather  con- 
ditions will  warrant  it  next  spring,  say  April  1st,  plants 
are  set  out  in  the  open  field.  By  either  method,  seed 
ripens  in  October. 

In  northern  Europe  the  practice  is  to  sow  seed  for  a 
seed-crop  in  cold  frame  early  in  September.  Early  in 
the  following  spring  the  plants  are  transferred  to  hot 
beds  for  the  purpose  of  starting  them  into  growth.  As 
spring  advances,  they  are  again  transplanted,  this  time 
to  the  open  field,  in  'rich,  loose  soil.  Seed  ripens  early 
in  fall,  when  the  stalks  are  cut  and  hung  up  in  an  airy 


CAULIFLOWER — CELERY.  39 

room  until  the  seeds  are  thoroughly  matured  and  dry 
enough  for  threshing. 

For  stock-seed,  sowing  should  be  made  in  north- 
ern latitudes  in  spring  or  earlier  than  when  partially 
formed  heads  are  wanted,  and  late  in  autumn  selections 
are  made  of  those  plants  having  short,  thick  stalks, 
with  firm  heads  of  a  fine,  white  color,  and  particularly 
the  earliest  formed  heads  which  show  no  indication  of 
shooting  to  seed.  These  selected  plants  are  taken  up 
and  stored  over  winter  in  the  same  way  as  given  on  the 
preceding  page  for  partially  headed  plants. 

Market. — Upwards  of  10,000  pounds  is  considered 
the  present  annual  consumption  of  cauliflower  seed  in 
the  United  States.  The  best  of  this  seed  is  imported 
from  Denmark;  in  fact,  nearly  all  used  here  at  present  is 
imported  from  Europe.  Danish  seed  is  notably  preferred 
throughout  Europe.  Perhaps  the  most  suitable  climate 
in  America,  approaching  nearest  to  that  of  Denmark, 
for  the  growing  of  cauliflower  seed,  is  that  previously 
spoken  of  in  the  chapter  on  cabbage,  namely,  along 
the  Puget  Sound,  in  Washington.  Cauliflower  seed 
which  has  given  most  excellent  satisfaction,  is  now 
grown  in  that  quarter,  but  the  industry  there  is,  as  yet, 
practically  in  its  infancy.  Considering  the  soil  and 
climatic  conditions  of  this  Puget  Sound  country,  it  is 
regarded  safe  to  predict  that  that  section  will,  in  time, 
be  headquarters  for  the  best  cauliflower  seed  for  the 
entire  country. 

In  Denmark,  in  a  favorable  season,  a  yield  of  seed  is 
about  250  pounds  per  acre,  at  prices  to  the  grower  of 
$2.50  to  $5.00  per  pound,  according  to  variety. 

CELERY. 
For  raising  celery  seed,  the  course  to  be  pursued  is 


40  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

same  as  for  a  garden  crop  for  culinary  use,  observing 
that  plants  destined  for  seed  must  undergo  critical 
selection  when  they  are  taken  up  in  the  fall  for  winter 
storage.  That  is,  only  those  plants  are  to  be  chosen 
which  possess  all  the  distinctness  of  their  variety;  if  the 
variety  be  dwarf,  those  plants  that  are  dwarfest,  and  so 
on;  furthermore,  only  those  are  to  be  selected  which  are 
perfectly  solid  in  the  stems,  and  have  an  abundance  of 
solid  heart-leaves.  In  fact,  this  matter  of  selection  re- 
garding solidity  is  important  to  be  kept  in  mind  when 
raising  high-grade  celery  seed. 

In  the  usual  manner  as  practiced  in  the  Northern 
States  for  storing  celery  for  table  use,  plants  for  seed  are 
wintered  over  in  trenches,  care  being  taken  that  it  is 
so  done  that  they  will  be  kept  as  dry  as  possible  until 
time  to  set  out  in  spring;  in  the  mild  climate  of  Cali- 
fornia, where  considerable  celery  seed  is  raised,  winter- 
ing over  of  plants  in  this  manner  is  not  necessary. 

About  May  1st,  depending  on  the  climate  and  lati- 
tude, these  plants  are  set  out  in  rows  four  feet  apart, 
eighteen  inches  in  the  row,  with  the  heart  of  plant  left 
exposed.  Cultivate  and  keep  free  from  weeds,  drawing 
earth  up  about  the  plants  as  they  progress  in  growth. 

Seed  is  produced  in  clusters  and  ripens  unevenly. 
When  bulk  of  it  is  well  browned,  stalks  should  be  cut 
at  the  base  or  root,  and  laid  on  cloths,  to  be  left  ex- 
posed to  the  sun  for  a  few  days  if  the  weather  be  dry 
and  clear,  or  are  taken  at  once  to  the  barn  or  shed,  to 
undergo  drying. 

When  seed  has  become  dry,  threshing  may  be  done 
either  in  a  threshing  machine  or  with  a  flail  on  a  cloth 
on  the  floor.  Seed  is  then  spread  on  a  cloth  and  allowed 
to  remain  for  several  weeks  to  become  perfectly  dry. 
For  final  cleaning,  seed  is  run  twice  through  the  fan  mill. 


CELERY — CORN.  41 

Market. — Celery  is  an  important  item  in  the  seed 
trade.  At  present,  most  of  the  seed  used  in  the  United 
States  is  grown  here;  nine- tenths  of  it  being  produced 
more  cheaply  in  central  California  than  elsewhere, 
though  seed  of  first  quality  is  also  grown  in  the  Atlantic 
Coast  section. 

The  annual  California  production  approximates  25,- 
000  pounds.  In  a  favorahle  season,  a  seed  yield  is  from 
400  to  500  pounds  per  acre;  prices  paid  to  growers 
range  from  twenty  to  thirty  cents  per  pound. 

Seed  of  certain  sorts  is  imported  from  Europe;  this 
applies  particularly  to  the  variety  known  as  Paris 
Golden  Self-Blanching.  French  growers  are  paid  from 
fifty  to  sixty  cents  per  pound  for  this  seed.  Even  Cali- 
fornia market  growers  of  celery  of  this  variety  prefer 
French  seed;  the  crop  resulting  therefrom  proving  more 
satisfactory  than  when  grown  from  domestic  seed. 

CORN. 

That  which  is  of  first  importance  when  growing  seed 
corn  is,  to  exercise  the  greatest  care  to  avoid  mixture 
of  crop.  Sugar  corn  must  not  be  grown  near  field  corn, 
and  to  keep  a  variety  strictly  pure,  one  kind  of  sugar  or 
field  corn  must  not  be  planted  near  another  kind,  nor 
in  an  adjoining  field.  Neither  should  corn  be  planted 
on  land  upon  which  any  variety  of  corn  was  raised  the 
year  previous,  to  prevent  mixture  from  "  volunteer 
plants." 

Stock-seed  should  have  been  carefully  selected  from 
stalks  whose  habit  of  growth  was  characteristic  of  the 
variety,  and  from  the  earliest,  largest,  and  finest  ears, 
which  in  their  shape  and  size,  color  and  formation  of 
grain,  and  time  of  maturity,  were  distinctly  true  to 
variety.  This  method  is  also  particularly  recom- 
mended when  saving  seed  for  private  use. 


42  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

General  culture  for  seed  corn  is  the  same  as  for  a  crop 
of  corn  for  ordinary  purposes. 

In  northern  Atlantic  latitudes,  early  sugar  corn  is 
sown  from  May  10th  to  30th;  late  varieties,  from  May 
1st  to  15th;  field  sorts  from  May  1st  to  20th.  Sugar 
com  should  not  be  planted  over  one-half  to  two-thirds 
the  depth  required  for  field  corn. 

In  harvesting  both  sugar  and  field  corn,  the  cut 
stalks  are  bound  in  small  shocks.  But  it  is  not  really 
necessary  to  do  this  with  sugar  corn,  unless  shocks  are 
made  very  small  with  an  open  space  in  the  centre, 
formed  by  tying  the  tops  of  four  hills  together  and  then 
shocking  around  them.  It  is  better  not  to  cut  sugar 
corn  too  green,  but  ears  should  be  allowed  to  mature 
fully  on  the  stalk.  Sorting  should  be  done  carefully  at 
time  of  husking,  rejecting  ears  which  are  imperfect  or 
impure. 

Drying  and  Shelling. — Drying  should  be  done 
naturally,  never  artificially.  The  usual  manner  is  on 
barn  scaffolds,  which  are  made  of  narrow  boards  placed 
as  far  apart  as  possible;  these  scaffolds  being  arranged 
in  tiers,  one  above  another,  with  as  much  air  as  possi- 
ble given  through  open  doors  and  windows.  With 
some  growers  the  practice  is  to  bring  the  corn  from  the 
field  in  one-bushel  crates;  a  rope  with  two  hooks  being 
let  down  to  the  wagon  and  the  crate  drawn  up  to  the 
scaffold  by  men. 

The  time  required  for  drying  varies  much,  as  in  some 
seasons  stalks  are  greener  than  in  others;  some  autumns 
being  damper  than  others. 

Shelling  is  not  done  until  corn  is  dry  enough  to  store 
and  keep  in  bulk.  Those  who  grow  for  commercial  trade 
shell  the  ears  without  taking  any  grains  from  butt  or 
tip;  shelling  by  machine  just  as  grown,  except  that  black 


CORN.  43 

kernels  are  previously  taken  out  by  hand  with  a  husk- 
ing peg. 

The  shelled  product  is  run  through  a  fanning  mill, 
which  blows  out  all  light  and  chaffy  stuff,  and  screens 
out  the  small  kernels;  the  quantity  that  is  thus  blown 
and  screened  out  being  about  one  bushel  in  fifty. 

Sugar  corn  must  not  be  stored  in  sacks  too  soon,  nor 
kept  in  them  too  long,  as  it  retains  moisture  a  consider- 
able time  and  is  likely  to  mould.  Neither  should  it  be 
piled  in  bulk  until  thoroughly  dry,  but  should  be 
spread  out  thinly  and  raked  over  from  time  to  time. 

To  Save  for  Private  Use. — The  best  way  to  save 
sugar  corn  for  one's  own  use,  is  to  break  off  the  finest 
ears,  leaving  the  outer  husk  attached.  Hang  up  the 
unhusked  ears,  several  tied  together,  until  they  are 
wanted  for  use,  in  a  dry,  airy  room  or  garret  where 
they  will  become  perfectly  d^. 

Market.  —  Seed-corn,  both  field  and  sugar,  is 
handled  in  enormous  quantities  by  all  seed  dealers. 
Not  so  many  years  ago  the  bulk  of  seed  sugar  corn  used 
by  the  trade  was  produced  in  Connecticut.  In  fact, 
Connecticut  seed-corn  was  for  a  long  time  considered 
the  standard  in  the  market,  and  it  was  generally  sup- 
posed that  no  other  so  good  could  be  raised  else- 
where. But  all  this  has  greatly  changed,  and  to-day 
Connecticut  supplies  but  a  small  portion  of  the  seed 
sugar  corn  that  the  country  consumes.  Seed-corn  fully 
equal  to  Connecticut  grown,  is  now  produced  elsewhere, 
especially  in  Ohio,  Iowa,  and  Nebraska,  where  there 
are  quite  a  number  of  well-established,  large,  reputable 
growers,  who,  competing  with  Connecticut,  supply  the 
trade  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific. 

A  brief  narration  of  the  operations  of  one  prominent 
grower  in  Huron  County,  Ohio,  will  suffice  for  them  all. 


44  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

This  grower  began  in  an  humble  way  in  1878,  at  the  age 
of  eighteen,  on  one  acre  of  rented  land  and  a  capital  of 
five  dollars,  which  went  for  the  purchase  of  stock-seed. 
His  first  year's  crop  of  sugar  corn  realized  the  small 
sum  of  eighteen  dollars,  and  was  shelled  by  hand  and 
cleaned  by  dropping  the  seed  from  a  hog-house  door  to 
a  blanket  spread  upon  the  ground  beneath.  Now  to 
such  proportions  has  his  business  grown  that  in  a 
single  season  his  shipments  will  amount  to  about  175,- 
000  bushels  of  shelled  seed  corn  and  3,000  barrels  on 
ears,  requiring  four  large  power  shellers  and  cleaners, 
besides  acres  of  floor  space,  and  thousands  of  feet  of 
bin  room  for  storage.  His  main  warehouse  is  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  feet  long  by  thirty  feet  wide,  and  two 
stories  in  height.  None  of  his  output  is  sold  at  retail, 
all  being  disposed  of  to  seedsmen  or  seed-dealers. 

A  crop  of  sugar  corn  in  a  favorable  season  is  from  40 
to  50  bushels  of  shelled  seed  per  acre,  for  the  early 
dwarf  varieties;  from  50  to  60  bushels  for  the  tall,  late 
sorts.  Prices  paid  to  growers  range  from  $1.00  to  SI. 25 
per  bushel;  the  cheaper  price  being  for  Stowell's  Ever- 
green and  other  late  sorts;  prices  to  sub-growers  range 
from  65  to  80  cents  per  bushel  for  sugar  corn.  For 
field  corn  prices  rule  from  45  to  60  cents  per  bushel, 
according  to  variety. 

CORN  SALAD. 

A  seed-crop  is  matured  quickly  in  one  season.  Seed 
is  sown  early  in  spring,  in  rows  two  feet  apart,  plants 
being  thinned  to  four  inches  apart.  Ripening  of  seed 
occurs  unevenly;  but  when  the  bulk  has  ripened,  the 
crop  may  be  mowed,  or  plants  may  be  pulled  and  laid 
on  cloths,  and  left  to  dry  in  the  sun  a  few  days.  In 
the  barn  or  drying  room  stalks  should  be  spread  out 


CORN  SALAD — CEESS — CUCUMBER.         45 

on  cloths,  as  seed  sheds  easily.  Seed  should  not  be 
threshed  until  it  is  thoroughly  dry ;  it  may  be  done 
with  a  flail  or  in  the  machine.  Clean  in  a  fan  mill 
and  store  in  sacks. 

To  Save  for  Private  Use — Select  the  best-looking 
plants,  mark  them  by  driving  a  stake  alongside  and 
allow  to  run  to  seed.  Spread  a  cloth  under  plants  as 
seeds  ripen,  and  as  the  seed  successively  matures,  shake 
plants  repeatedly. 

Market. — Handled  by  all  seedsmen,  but  is  usually 
imported,  comparatively  little  seed  being  produced  in 
America.  Average  yield  in  a  favorable  season  is  up- 
wards of  1,000  pounds  per  acre,  at  price  to  the  grower 
of  about  ten  cents  per  pound. 

CRESS. 

This  is  a  quick-growing  annual,  and  seed-crop  is 
easily  raised.  Apply  same  directions  as  given  for  corn 
salad;  harvesting,  threshing,  and  cleaning  are  likewise 
similar  as  for  that  variety. 

Demand  for  seed  is  quite  large,  being  sold  by  all  seed 
dealers;  it  is  partly  imported  and  partly  produced  here. 
Yield  and  prices  are  about  the  same  as  for  corn  salad. 

CUCUMBER. 

In  growing  a  seed-crop  of  cucumber,  care  must  be 
exercised  to  avoid  mixture  of  varieties.  No  two  kinds 
should  be  planted  near  each  other,  but  they  must  be 
kept  widely  separated,  at  least  forty  rods  apart.  If 
Kaffir  corn  is  planted  between,  distance  may  be  short- 
ened to  twenty  rods,  but  not  less.  Cucumber  also 
mixes  with  Vegetable  peach,  West  India  gherkin,  Snake 
cucumber,  and  pomegranate.  Care  must  be  used  to 
destroy  any  stray  plant  that  may  appear  within  mixing 
distance. 


46  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

Any  soil  considered  good  for  corn  will  answer  for 
cucumber.  In  the  Middle  and  Western  States,  seed  is 
sown  about  June  1st.  It  is  planted  in  hills  three  feet 
apart  each  way,  ten  to  fifteen  seeds  to  a  hill,  thinning 
to  three  or  four  plants  in  a  hill  when  they  are  about  six 
inches  in  height.  Cultivate  continuously  and  keep  free 
from  weeds.  The  hoe  may  be  used  for  this  purpose 
after  the  vines  run  out. 

To  Save  Seeds  for  Private  Use  or  Stock-Seed.— 
Select  the  earliest  and  handsomest  fruit  possessing  dis- 
tinctness of  variety. 

Harvest  and  Cleaning. — Harvest  is  dependent  upon 
maturity  of  the  crop  and  time  of  frost.  The  usual 
period  in  northern  sections  is  from  September  15th  to 
October  1st.  In  case  a  severe  frost  occurs,  the  crop 
must  be  gathered  at  once,  otherwise  fruit  may  rot  from 
effect  of  the  frost.  Seed  is  considered  fully  ripe  when 
fruit  has  changed  color  entirely,  showing  not  even  a 
tinge  of  green;  when  gathering,  reject  fruit  which  is  not 
characteristic  of  the  variety. 

Taking  out  seed:  in  simple  practice,  the  cucumbers 
may  be  sliced  lengthwise  and  seeds  scraped  out  into  a 
bucket  or  a  tub,  and  then  poured  into  a  tight  barrel,  to 
undergo  fermentation,  which  is  to  release  the  mucil- 
laginous  covering  from  the  seeds. 

When  the  field  is  two  or  three  acres  in  extent,  slicing 
may  be  done  by  using  an  upright  knife  set  in  the  bot- 
tom of  a  small  wooden  trough  held  in  place  by  a  cross- 
piece.  This  trough  may  be  mounted  on  a  bench.  The 
cucumbers  are  laid  in  it  one  at  a  time,  and  sliced  open 
by  being  forced  against  the  knife  by  a  wooden  plunger 
fitted  to  the  inside  of  the  trough.  The  split  fruit  is 
allowed  to  fall  into  a  tub  or  a  box.  Seed  is  then  removed 
by  using  a  small  circular  iron  knife  sharpened  on  one 


CUCUMBER.  47 

edge;  with  one  sweep  of  the  hand  the  knife  performs 
the  operation,  the  cut  pulp  passing  into  a  pail,  from 
which  it  is  emptied  into  a  barrel  placed  conveniently 
in  the  field,  to  undergo  fermentation. 

For  larger  fields,  it  will  be  necessary  to  expedite  the 
removal  of  the  seed  pulp  by  the  use  of  a  machine. 
There  are  two  kinds  in  general  use,  both  constructed 
specially  for  extracting  cucumber,  melon  and  tomato 
seeds.  One,  run  by  horse-power,  is  fashioned  so  that 
fruit  being  poured  into  a  hopper,  is  crushed  between  a 
revolving  wooden  roller  and  an  adjustable  crushing 
board,  and  then  is  passed  into  a  long  reel  made  of 
wire  netting,  which  revolves  and  separates  the  seed. 

The  other  machine,  which  is  run  by  steam  power  or 
by  a  gasoline  motor,  is  called  a  Cucumber,  Melon  and 
Tomato  Seed-separator.  It  is  six  feet  long,  and  is 
operated  by  a  crank  on  each  side.  The  fruit  is  con- 
veyed by  an  elevator  into  a  hopper,  and  thence  to  two 
revolving  rollers,  which  crush  it  and  pass  it  to  a  re- 
volving screen,  four  feet  in  length,  having  two  canes  on 
the  end  of  a  shaft  forming  a  beater,  which  separates 
the  seed.  Under  the  screen,  a  pan  is  set  to  receive  the 
seed  as  it  falls. 

This  latter  machine  will  extract  1,000  pounds  of 
cucumber  seed  in  a  day.  When  in  use,  it  is  mounted 
on  a  low  wagon  built  with  a  platform.  A  two-horse 
steam  engine  is  placed  facing  it  at  the  front  end. 
Drawn  by  two  horses,  the  wagon  makes  the  round  of 
the  field.  Fourteen  rows  are  taken  at  a  time,  six  on 
one  side,  six  on  the  other,  the  wagon  going  through  the 
two  rows  between.  These  two  rows  are  picked  ahead 
of  the  wagon,  far  enough  to  bring  the  elevator  of  the 
machine  even  with  the  pickers  on  either  side.  Large 
tin  pails  are  used  for  picking.  Twelve  men  are  kept 


48  THE  SEED-GROWER. 

busy  picking  the  ripe  fruit  and  emptying  on  the  ele- 
vator. As  the  fruit  is  crushed,  the  skins  or  rinds  are 
ejected  at  the  rear  end,  and  left  in  the  field  in  rows  as 
the  wagon  is  drawn  through,  and  are  afterwards  scat- 
tered as  fertilizer.  Following  this  wagon  is  another 
loaded  with  barrels  which  are  distributed,  and  to  which 
the  seed  is  transferred  from  the  receiving  pan.  These 
barrels  are  filled  two-thirds,  and  are  hauled  six  at  a 
time  in  another  wagon  to  the  fermenting  house. 

If  more  than  one  variety  is  grown,  it  is  very  import- 
ant that  the  machine  used  for  mashing  fruit  or  for 
washing,  and  the  fermenting  tank  or  barrel  should  be 
carefully  washed  immediately  after  use,  so  as  to  remove 
any  seeds  which  may  have  lodged  in  same,  and  thereby 
prevent  mixture  of  seed  when  using  the  apparatus  or 
vessel  for  another  variety. 

Fermentation  or  Souring.— This  process  is  neces- 
sary with  all  kinds  of  vine  seeds,  excepting  winter 
squash  and  pumpkin,  in  order  to  separate  the  seeds 
from  the  surrounding  pulp.  The  time  required  for 
fermentation  varies  from  several  days  to  a  week,  accord- 
ing to  weather. 

On  a  small  scale,  tight  barrels  will  answer  for  fer- 
mentation; but  for  large  acreages,  it  is  better  to  build  a 
tank,  which  may  be  erected  either  in  the  field  or  in  the 
seed  house;  this  must  be  made  perfectly  tight. 

The  pulp  is  poured  into  the  barrel  or  tank,  but  not 
filled  quite  full  to  allow  for  expansion  in  bulk  from 
fermentation.  The  liquor  must  be  stirred  thoroughly 
every  day,  to  keep  seed  in  contact  with  it,  and  to  pre- 
vent the  seed  on  top  from  becoming  blackened.  Pro- 
vided it  is  thus  constantly  stirred,  seed  may  remain  in 
it  for  several  weeks  without  injury.  One  may  deter- 
mine whether  seed  has  undergone  sufficient  fermenta- 


CUCUMBER.  49 

tion  by  taking  up  a  handful  and  squeezing  it.  If  on 
opening  the  hand  seed  appears  entirely  free  of  pulp,  it 
is  ready  for  washing. 

Washing. — This  may  be  done  in  a  tub,  a  barrel,  a 
large  box,  or  in  a  machine.  When  using  a  tub  or  a 
barrel,  pour  in  a  quantity  of  the  seed  pulp,  and  add 
several  pails  of  water.  The  liquor  is  then  stirred 
violently  with  a  stick  until  the  pulp  is  loosened.  More 
water  is  now  poured  in,  and  stirring  is  again  done,  this 
time  with  a  circular  motion,  which  will  cause  the  water 
to  run  around  in  the  vessel.  This  motion  holds  the 
separated  pulp  suspended,  while  seed  sinks  to  the 
bottom.  The  water  is  then  poured  off,  which  will 
carry  the  pulp  with  it,  and  leave  seed  at  the  bottom. 
The  operation  is  to  be  repeated  several  times,  with  clear 
water,  until  seed  is  considered  clean. 

The  box  method,  as  performed  by  some  growers,  is 
practicable  only  where  there  is  a  stream  of  water.  A 
box  is  made  with  the  sides  and  ends  about  eighteen 
inches  in  height,  and  six  or  seven  feet  in  length.  The 
bottom  is  fitted  with  heavy  wire  screen,  eight  meshes 
to  the  inch.  A  platform  is  built  on  the  bank,  extend- 
ing out  into  the  stream  several  feet  to  where  a  swift 
current  may  be  reached.  Four  posts  are  driven,  one  at 
each  corner  of  the  washing  box,  and  cross-pieces  nailed 
between  each  pair  of  end  'posts.  One  end  of  the  box  is 
then  fastened  to  one  of  these  cross-pieces,  at  such  height 
as  to  keep  the  top  of  that  end  above  water.  The  other 
end  is  made  fast  to  the  other  two  posts  by  means  of  an 
adjustable  strap  or  rope,  in  such  manner  as  to  allow  it 
to  be  raised  or  lowered  at  will.  Then  the  down-stream 
end  of  the  box  is  carefully  lowered  into  the  water, 
until  about  three-fourths  of  the  entire  box  is  submerged. 
The  action  of  the  water  in  going  through  the  meshes  of 
4 


50  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

the  screen  serves  to  wash  the  pulp  from  the  seed  and 
carry  it  away.  The  operation  is  assisted  by  stirring 
seed  with  a  stick  or  a  rake.  As  the  force  of  the  water 
will  carry  seed  towards  the  end  of  the  box,  seed  must 
constantly  be  put  back  to  the  upper  end.  When  seed 
is  considered  clean,  it  is  scooped  out  into  barrels  pre- 
paratory to  drying. 

Seed  may  also  be  washed  in  a  machine,  which  may 
be  readily  made  by  a  carpenter.  One  that  is  used  by  a 
large  grower  is  made  out  of  a  disused  fanning-mill. 
This  has  been  covered  with  zinc  and  punched  full  of 
holes.  At  one  side,  opposite  the  crank,  is  the  spout; 
from  which  the  washed  seed  passes  into  a  box  fitted 
with  handles  on  each  side.  Four  large  pails  of  pulp 
are  poured  into  the  washer  at  a  time.  While  one  per- 
son turns  the  crank,  another  pours  in  clear  water;  six 
or  eight  pails  of  clear  water  usually  cleans  the  seed, 
and  a  second  washing  is  not  necessary.  Never  use  lye 
for  cleaning,  it  will  discolor  the  seed. 

Drying. — The  barrels  or  boxes  to  receive  the  washed 
seeds  should  have  holes  punched  around  the  bottom  to 
drain  the  surplus  water. 

Drying  is  done  on  screens  or  drying  frames.  These 
are  made  of  three  by  four  scantling,  three  feet  in  width 
by  fourteen  in  length;  burlap  is  used  for  the  screen. 

Seed  is  spread  on  the  screen  very  thinly  at  first, 
several  seeds  deep.  The  screens  are  then  set  in  the  sun 
and  air  for  drying,  either  on  benches  or  supported  by 
posts  driven  into  the  ground  with  cross-pieces  nailed  on. 

After  the  first  moisture  is  drained  or  dried  out,  seed 
is  transferred  to  fresh,  dry  screens.  In  the  evening  the 
screens  must  be  carried  indoors  and  racked  up,  as 
seed  should  not  be  allowed  to  become  damp  even  from 
dew. 


CUCUMBER.  51 

Seed  is  allowed  to  remain  on  the  drying  frame  until 
it  is  reasonably  dry,  and  then  it  is  removed  therefrom 
and  spread  out  thinly  on  the  floor  of  a  dry,  airy  room, 
where  it  is  watched  until  it  is  thoroughly  dry,  being 
stirred  and  turned  over  occasionally. 

Another  way  of  drying  after  being  taken  off  the 
screens,  is  to  place  the  seed  in  sacks,  filled  about  one- 
third  full,  and  these  are  thrown  across  a  fence  or  other 
convenient  place  in  the  air  during  the  day,  till  the 
seeds  have  become  thoroughly  dry. 

Cucumber  seed  should  not  be  stored  or  packed  for 
shipment  until  perfectly  dry,  known  by  seed  breaking 
crisply  without  bending. 

Market. — Besides  being  grown  in  all  private  gardens, 
cucumbers  are  planted  extensively  for  market  by 
truckers,  and  also  by  farmers  as  a  field  crop  for  com- 
mercial picklers.  The  consumption  of  seed,  therefore, 
in  this  country  is  very  large,  and  runs  up  to  many 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  pounds  annually.  It  is  all 
produced  here,  the  most  of  it  in  Connecticut,  New 
York,  New  Jersey,  Michigan,  Iowa,  Kansas,  Nebraska, 
and  Colorado,  but  as  is  shown  by  these  localities, 
almost  any  section  in  the  United  States  is  adapted  for 
its  culture. 

In  a  favorable  season  a  yield  of  cucumber  seed  will 
average  250  pounds  per  acre,  though  at  times  it  has 
been  known  to  greatly  exceed  this,  having  reached  as 
high  as  750  pounds. 

Up  to  within  the  past  few  years,  growers'  prices  have 
ruled  from  twelve  to  fifteen  cents  per  pound,  but  since 
the  disastrous  crop  failures  in  the  seasons  of  1902  and 
1903,  due  to  ravages  of  plant  lice,  prices  have  gone 
higher,  ranging  now  from  twenty-five  to  thirty-five 
cents  per  pound.  When  the  market  returns  to  its  nor- 


52  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

mal  equilibrium,  the  former  lower  prices  are  likely  to 
prevail  again. 

EGGPLANT. 

This  vegetable  delights  in  a  light,  warm,  rich  soil. 
About  one  month  after  fruit  is  in  edible  condition  is 
required  for  seed  to  ripen.  It  is  therefore  necessary 
that  a  crop  for  seed  should  be  started  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible. In  the  Middle  and  Western  States  this  is  begun 
about  March  10th,  by  sowing  seed  in  a  hotbed.  When 
the  second  leaves  have  formed,  the  young  plants  are 
transferred  to  another  or  larger  hotbed,  where  with 
fresh  heat  they  should  become  large,  strong  plants 
about  the  20th  of  May,  when  they  may  be  set  out  in 
the  open  ground.  Cultivation  should  be  thorough  and 
weeds  kept  down. 

Eggplant  should  not  be  attempted  oftener  than  once 
in  the  same  field,  neither  should  it  be  grown  in  a  field 
in  which  tomato  was  raised  the  year  before,  otherwise  a 
poor  crop  will  be  the  result;  tomato  seems  to  extract 
from  the  soil  what  is  needful  for  eggplant. 

Ripening  of  seed  is  indicated  by  changing  of  color  of 
the  egg  from  a  bright  to  a  duller  shade,  or  even  some- 
what yellow,  also  by  the  appearance  of  specks.  A  crop 
is  harvested  early  in  October,  only  the  finest-looking 
eggs  being  selected.  After  gathering,  the  stem  end 
is  cut  away  for  several  inches,  seed  being  contained  in 
the  other  end  and  fruit  is  then  left  in  a  pile  for  several 
days  until  a  sufficient  number  has  been  gathered  to 
extract  seed.  Fruit  should  not  be  allowed  to  become 
rotten  as  this  will  injure  the  seed. 

Extracting  Seed. — On  a  small  scale,  the  eggs  are 
first  pared  and  then  cut  into  small  pieces,  say  eighths; 
to  do  which  a  dull  knife  is  used, to  avoid. cutting  seed. 


EGGPLANT.  53 

These  pieces  are  then  mashed  or  crushed  in  a  barrel,  a 
wooden  pounder  being  used  for  the  purpose;  or  if  at 
hand,  a  wine  press  or  a  cider  mill  will  answer  for  crush- 
ing. 

Fermentation  is  not  permitted  with  eggplant,  as  it 
will  make  seed  harder  to  clean  and  also  causes  seed  to 
be  darker  in  color.  In  fact,  it  is  considered  better  not 
to  allow  the  pulp  to  stand  longer  than  three  hours  be- 
fore cleaning.  One  grower  whose  annual  crop  amounts 
to  several  thousand  pounds  crushes  the  fruit  by  horse- 
power, in  a  large  mill  which  is  fixed  not  quite  breast- 
high  on  the  edge  of  a  large  wooden  platform.  The 
crushed  pulp  drops  from  the  mill  on  to  this  platform, 
from  which  it  is  loaded  on  wagons  and  hauled  to  a 
creek  for  washing.  He  does  not  pare  the  fruit  or  cut 
it  into  pieces,  but  dumps  the  eggs  whole .  into  the 
hopper  of  the  mill,  the  stem  ends  having  previously 
been  cut  off  in  the  field  at  time  of  gathering. 

Washing  and  Cleaning. — This  is  done  by  using 
sieves  in  a  tub  or  a  barrel  of  water.  The  pulp  is  poured 
on  a  wide-meshed  sieve  at  first.  By  working  the  sieve 
about  in  the  water,  it  causes  seed  to  separate  from  the 
pulp  and  pass  through  the  sieve  to  the  bottom  of  the 
vessel  used.  The  water  and  floating  pulp  are  then 
poured  off,  seed  is  taken  out  and  washed  again  in  clear 
water,  this  time  using  a  finer-meshed  sieve  to  screen 
out  seed  from  the  remaining  pulp.  If  this  does  not 
render  seed  thoroughly  clean,  washing  is  repeated. 

The  large  grower  mentioned  above  does  his  washing 
in  a  stream  which  runs  by  his  farm.  He  uses  a  box 
screen,  which  is  4  feet  long,  2J  feet  wide,  18  inches 
deep.  It  has  long  handles  at  each  end.  The  screen 
has  a  mesh  of  four  to  the  inch.  This  screen  box  fits 
into  an  outside  box  made  about  15  inches  deeper,  the 


54  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

handles  affording  a  means  of  rest  at  the  top  of  the  out- 
side box.  The  bottom  of  this  outside  box  is  made  of 
wire  bronze,  mosquito  netting  mesh,  for  water  to  drain 
through.  To  support  this  bronze  netting  strips  are 
nailed  across.  The  bottom  also  has  legs  at  each  corner 
for  support  in  the  water.  The  legs  at  one  end  are 
longer  than  the  other  two,  to  allow  for  the  slope  of  the 
beach  when  standing  in  the  water.  Three  men  operate 
this  apparatus.  They  stand  in  the  water  in  rubber 
boots.  One  man  at  each  end  takes  a  pair  of  handles  and 
lifts  and  shakes  the  screen,  while  the  third  man  pours  in 
three  buckets  of  pulp  at  a  time.  The  shaking  separates 
seed  from  pulp,  seed  sinks  through  and  falls  to  the  bot- 
tom of  the  outside  box.  The  pulp  is  then  dumped  out 
of  the  screen  box,  fresh  pulp  is  poured  in  and  the 
operation  is  repeated  until  the  space  in  the  outside  box 
is  full.  Seed  is  then  taken  out,  and  a  final  cleaning  is 
given  with  a  sieve  in  a  tub  of  water. 

Drying. — This  is  done  on  screens  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  given  for  cucumbers.  But  it  should  be  hastened 
as  much  as  possible,  so  as  to  have  the  seeds  as  dry  as 
can  be  before  night;  to  facilitate  which  the  work  should 
be  begun  early  in  the  morning  of  a  clear,  dry  day. 
While  drying  on  the  screens,  stir  or  turn  the  seeds  over 
from  time  to  time. 

As  eggplant  seed  sprouts  more  easily  than  seed  of  any 
other  vegetable,  when  first  taken  out  of  the  fruit,  it  is 
sometimes  lost  by  sprouting  over  night  when  not  as  dry 
as  it  should  be. 

The  large  grower,  whose  operations  of  extracting  and 
washing  seed  have  been  described,  does  not  dry  his  seed 
out-doors.  He  prefers,  owing  to  depredations  by  birds, 
to  dry  seed  on  the  floor  of  a  dry,  airy  room.  He 
spreads  the  seed  thinly,  less  than  quarter  of  an  inch 


EGGPLANT — ENDIVE.  55 

/ 

deep  and  allows  it  to  remain  in  that  state  for  a  day  or 
two,  stirring  it  frequently.  He  then  masses  the  seed 
in  greater  depth,  say  six  to  eight  inches,  and  leaves  it 
remain  thus  spread  out  for  a  month  or  so  to  become 
thoroughly  dry,  which  will  be  indicated  by  seed 
rattling.  It  will  then  be  in  condition  for  storing  or 
shipment. 

When  storing,  a  covering  of  oil  paper  will  keep  out 
atmospheric  moisture  and  prevent  moulding.  Before 
shipping,  run  through  the  fan-mill  or  seed-cleaner. 

Market. — Eggplant  seed  is  sold  by  all  seedsmen. 
The  principal  market  for  it  at  present  is  in  Florida, 
where  this  vegetable  is  grown  extensively  as  a  field  crop 
by  truckers  for  shipment  to  Northern  markets. 

While  there  is  some  importation,  most  of  the  seed 
used  by  the  trade  is  grown  here,  mainly  in  New  Jersey, 
Iowa,  and  in  the  South.  In  a  favorable  season,  an 
average  yield  is  about  200  pounds  per  acre,  at  from 
$1.00  to  $1.25  per  pound  to  the  grower. 

ENDIVE. 

This  is  an  annual,  and  for  a  seed-crop  sowing  is  made 
in  the  Northern  States  early  in  April;  in  California  in 
February  and  March,  in  rows  two  feet  apart,  thinning 
plants  to  eighteen  inches  in  the  row.  Rogue  carefully, 
pulling  up  and  destroying  all  plants  which  are  not  true 
to  variety. 

When  bulk  of  the  crop  is  ripe,  cut  the  stalks  and  lay 
upon  cloths,  and  leave  exposed  to  the  sun  to  dry  for 
the  remainder  of  the  day,  or  longer,  if  the  weather  be 
dry  and  clear. 

Seed  should  be  allowed  to  lay  in  the  drying  loft  to 
become  thoroughly  dry  before  threshing.  Thresh  with 
a  flail  or  in  the  machine,  and  clean  in  the  fan-mill. 


56  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

After  seed  has  become  thoroughly  dry,  it  may  be  stored 
in  sacks. 

Market. — The  demand  for  seed  here  is  considerable, 
as  endive  is  consumed  freely  for  flavoring  soups  and 
making  salad,  especially  where  citizens  of  French  or  Ger- 
man extraction  predominate.  Part  of  the  seed  used  is 
imported  from  Europe;  balance  is  nearly  all  grown  in 
California,  which  State  produces  about  20,000  pounds 
annually.  It  can  be  grown  with  success  in  almost  any 
part  of  our  country. 

In  a  favorable  season,  an  average  yield  of  seed  is 
about  500  pounds  per  acre,  at  from  thirty  to  thirty-five 
cents  per  pound  to  the  grower. 

HORSE  RADISH. 

The  original  or  correct  name  for  this  is  said  to  be 
harsh  radish.  It  is  handled  by  the  seed  trade  in  the 
shape  of  sets,  which  are  prepared  by  cutting  off  the 
straggling  lateral  or  side  shoots  that  form  on  the  main 
root.  These  are  trimmed  to  about  six  inches  in  length, 
their  tops  made  square,  and  the  bottom  ends  slanting, 
to  prevent  their  being  planted  upside  down.  They  are 
preserved  over  winter  by  storing  in  pits,  or  by  keeping 
in  a  cool  cellar  buried  in  a  box  of  dry  sand  or  seed. 

KALE. 

(See  Borecole,  page  25. ) 

KOHLRABI. 

Treatment  for  a  seed  crop  is  about  the  same  as  for 
cabbage  and  turnip,  though  kohlrabi  is  hardier  than 
either.  Sow  seed  later  than  is  customary  for  table  use, 
in  the  Northern  States  in  July  or  August.  On  the 
Pacific  Coast  and  in  Europe  plants  are  transplanted  in 


KOHLRABI — LEEK.  57 

the  fall,  and  left  to  remain  in  the  open  over  winter,  but 
in  our  northern  sections,  while  plants  will  often  winter 
well  outdoors,  the  winters  usually  are  too  severe,  and 
after  the  manner  given  for  storing  cabbage,  plants  are 
there  taken  up  in  autumn  and  stored  in  trenches  or  in  a 
cool  cellar.  In  early  spring  they  are  set  out  in  rows  four 
feet  apart,  two  feet  in  the  row.  Those  plants  which 
were  transplanted  in  the  preceding  autumn  and  left  in 
the  field  over  winter,  are  not  disturbed  in  spring. 

Take  care  of  the  crop,  harvest,  clean,  etc. ,  after  the 
manner  as  given  for  borecole  and  cabbage,  to  which 
refer. 

Market.— Kohlrabi  seed  for  the  kitchen  and  market 
garden  is  sold  in  moderate  quantities  by  all  American 
dealers,  while  in  Europe  the  vegetable  is  grown  exten- 
sively for  cattle-feeding,  being  considered  there,  for  that 
purpose,  equal,  if  not  superior,  to  the  best  ruta  baga. 

At  present,  practically  all  the  seed  used  by  the 
American  trade  is  imported  from  Europe,  but  there  is 
no  necessity  for  any  importation,  as  it  could  all  be 
grown  here.  Yield  of  seed  and  prices  range  about  the 
same  as  for  cabbage. 

LEEK. 

This  vegetable  is  a  hardy  member  of  the  onion  fam- 
ily. Seed  is  sown  first  in  seed  bed  in  spring  and  later 
transplanted  into  rows  15  inches  apart,  6  inches  be- 
tween the  plants;  or  seed  may  be  sown  in  drills  same 
distance  apart,  thinning  plants  afterwards  to  6  inches 
apart  without  transplanting.  It  stands  winter  without 
protection,  and  seed  is  produced  in  the  second  year. 
Treatment,  harvesting  and  cleaning  are  very  similar  to 
onion,  and  attention  is,  therefore,  directed  for  particu- 
lars for  such  matters  as  they  will  be  found  given  here- 


58  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

after  for  onion,  under  its  heading;  as  they  will  apply 
for  leek. 

Market. — Seed  is  handled  largely  by  all  seedsmen; 
the  most  of  it  used  here  is  at  present  imported  from 
Europe;  what  is  produced  in  this  country,  which  is  of 
fine  quality,  is  grown  in  Central  California.  Excellent 
seed  can  be  produced  in  any  part  of  the  Northern  and 
Western  States.  Yield  of  seed  in  a  favorable  season 
runs  from  500  to  600  pounds  per  acre;  prices  paid  to 
growers  rule  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  cents  per  pound. 

LETTUCE. 

This  quick-growing  annual  delights  in  a  cool  atmos- 
phere and  an  open,  loose  soil. 

In  the  Eastern  United  States,  seed  for  a  seed-crop  is 
sown  in  northern  latitudes  early  in  April;  in  California, 
in  February  or  March.  The  practice  is  in  rows  twenty 
inches  apart,  thinning  the  plants  to  fifteen  inches  apart, 
or  at  a  distance  to  allow  for  their  complete  development. 
Transplanting  is  only  done  for  stock-seed,  not  for  a 
commercial  crop. 

Like  all  other  crops,  lettuce  responds  to  careful  culti- 
vation. When  plants  are  in  head,  or  are  otherwise  far 
enough  advanced  to  determine  the  character  of  the 
variety,  pull  up  all  which  show  the  slightest  impurity 
and  shoot  too  quickly  to  seed  before  they  have  headed 
or  hearted  properly;  and  in  case  of  a  heading  variety, 
throw  out  all  which  do  not  head  well. 

Ripening  of  seed  heads  is  indicated  by  their  swelling 
and  turning  yellow.  Cut  the  stalks  by  hand  as  they 
ripen,  and  lay  upon  cloths,  and  if  the  weather  be  clear 
and  dry  leave  exposed  to  the  sun  and  air  to  become 
thoroughly  dry  before  threshing.  It  is  a  crop  that 
must  be  handled  carefully. 


LETTUCE.  59 

For  Stock  Seeds  and  Seeds  for  Private  Use.—- 

Select  the  finest  specimens  which  show  faithful  correct- 
ness as  to  type.  These  are  transplanted,  the  plants  tied 
to  stakes  for  support,  and  only  seeds  which  ripen  first 
on  the  plant  are  saved.  A  good  plan,  when  the  opera- 
tion is  on  a  small  scale,  is  to  pull  up  plants  as  seeds 
are  ripening,  place  them  against  a  fence  with  a  cloth 
under  them,  and  allow  them  to  remain  in  that  position 
until  seeds  are  thoroughly  matured. 

Threshing — Seed  must  be  thoroughly  dry  before 
threshing,  which  may  be  done  in  a  threshing  machine, 
or  with  a  roller  on  a  cloth  on  a  floor.  Seed  is  then 
run  through  a  fan  mill.  A  small  quantity  may  be 
threshed  in  a  bag,  and  the  cleaning  done  with  a  hand 
sieve. 

Market. — Seed  is  sold  extensively  by  the  trade;  in 
some  parts  of  the  South  lettuce  is  grown  largely  as 
an  early  market  open-field  crop.  At  one  time,  nearly 
all  the  seed  that  was  used  here  was  imported  from 
Europe.  But  within  the  last  thirty  years  it  has  been 
produced  extensively  in  California,  and  now  that  State 
practically  supplies  the  entire  country  with  lettuce  seed 
and  even  ships  to  Europe.  The  annual  production  in 
this  country  is  at  present  upwards  of  200,000  pounds. 
To  the  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  almost  any  section 
is  peculiarly  adapted  to  lettuce;  but  for  that  matter, 
seed  of  excellent  quality  can  also  be  grown  in  all  the 
States  east  of  the  Rockies,  where  the  soil  is  loose  and 
not  over  rich.  If  too  rich,  it  is  liable  to  cause  rot  at  the 
root  at  period  of  blossoming. 

In  California,  a  seed-yield  in  a  favorable  season  is 
about  500  pounds  per  acre,  at  prices  to  the  grower  of 
fifteen  to  twenty  cents  per  pound. 


60  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

MELON. 

The  same  general  directions  which  have  been  given 
for  producing  cucumber  seed,  will  apply  for  a  crop  of 
melon  seed.  The  same  care  must  be  exercised  to  pre- 
vent mixture  of  varieties;  all  sorts  of  muskmelon  will 
mix  with  each  other,  or  they  will  mix  with  pomegran- 
ate, snake  cucumber  or  with  vegetable  peach;  water- 
melons will  mix  with  each  other  or  with  preserving 
citron. 

In  the  Northern  States,  seed  should  be  sown  about 
May  20th;  muskmelon  in  hills  three  feet  each  way, 
watermelons  six  feet  each  way;  eight  to  ten  seeds  in  a 
hill,  thinning  out  to  two  plants  in  a  hill.  Good  culti- 
vation is  necessary. 

Extracting  and  Cleaning  Seeds. — Melons  for  seed 
should  be  perfectly  ripe.  The  same  processes  given  for 
cucumber,  to  which  chapter  refer,  will  apply  for  ex- 
tracting and  cleaning  melon  seeds,  except  that  large 
watermelons  must  be  cut  in  half  to  go  into  the  machine 
for  crushing;  the  same  machine  used  for  cucumbers 
may  be  used  for  melons. 

Fermentation — For  musk  melon,  it  should  not 
exceed  three  days;  for  watermelon,  it  usually  takes 
longer  than  for  cucumber,  or  until  the  pulp  separates 
from  the  seed. 

For  Stock  Seeds  and  Seeds  for  Private  Use. — 
Select  the  earliest,  the  handsomest  formed  and  finest 
flavored  perfectly  ripe  melons,  which  are  true  to  variety. 

Market. — Upwards  of  600,000  pounds  of  melon  seeds 
are  planted  annually  in  the  United  States,  two-thirds  of 
which  are  the  water  variety,  the  other  portion  the  musk 
or  cantaloupe.  These  seeds  are  all  produced  in  this 
country,  by  growers  in  nearly  every  State  from  the 
Atlantic  to  the  Pacific.  The  most  extensive  commercial 


MELON — MUSHROOM   SPAWN.  61 

growers  are  located  in  Nebraska,  Oklahoma,  Iowa,  Kan- 
sas, Colorado,  Florida,  New  Jersey  and  Delaware. 

In  favorable  seasons  a  seed-yield  is  from  200  to  300 
pounds  per  acre,  although  exceptional  crops  have  been 
known  of  600  pounds  per  acre. 

Prices  paid  to  growers  range  from  ten  to  fourteen 
cents  per  pound  for  watermelon;  twenty  to  twenty-two 
cents  for  muskmelon  or  cantaloupe. 

MUSHROOM  SPAWN. 

This  is  sold  by  seed-dealers  in  the  form  of  bricks. 
It  is  imported  mostly  from  England  and  France,  being 
laid  down  in  New  York  at  about  five  cents  per  pound. 

The  manner  of  preparing  mushroom  spawn  is  to  mix 
thoroughly,  fresh  horse  droppings,  cow  dung,  a  little 
loam  and  stable  drainings,  and  make  a  mortar-like 
composition.  This  mixture  is  then  spread  on  boards, 
or  on  the  floor  of  an  open  shed,  and  allowed  to  become 
dry  enough  to  be  cut  into  the  shape  and  size  of  bricks. 
These  are  stood  on  edge  in  a  dry,  airy  place,  and  per- 
mitted to  get  about  half  dry,  turning  them  frequently 
to  do  it  properly.  They  are  now  given  a  planting  of 
good,  old  spawn,  which  is  performed  by  making  two  or 
three  holes  in  each  brick,  sufficiently  deep  to  plant  in 
each  hole,  just  below  the  surface,  about  one  cubic  inch 
of  spawn.  When  the  planting  is  done  the  holes  are 
closed  with  the  same  moist  material  of  which  the  bricks 
are  composed. 

The  bricks  are  now  allowed  to  become  nearly  dry. 
Then  they  are  piled  openly,  with  the  spawn-planted 
side  downward  on  a  layer  of  warm  horse  droppings, 
about  ten  inches  thick,  which  has  been  prepared  on  a 
dry  bottom,  as  for  a  hot-bed.  A  covering  of  straw  or 
hay  is  put  over  the  bricks  so  that  the  steam  and 


62  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

heat  of  the  dung  may  be  diffused  through  them,  the 
temperature  not  being  allowed  to  get  above  60  degrees. 
The  spawn  will  soon  begin  to  run,  and  when  it  has 
spread  itself  to  every  part  of  the  brick,  looking  like 
white  mould  (ascertained  by  breaking  one  or  two 
bricks),  the  operation  of  spawning  is  considered  finished. 
The  bricks  are  then  taken  out  and  allowed  to  become 
perfectly  dry. 

They  should  be  stored  in  a  cool,  dry,  dark  place; 
kept  in  this  way,  mushroom  spawn  will  hold  its  vitality 
five  years. 

MUSTARD. 

This  is  a  one  season' s  crop  and  easy  to  raise.  Sow 
seed  in  early  spring,  in  drills  two  feet  apart,  thinning 
to  eight  inches  in  the  row.  Rogue  carefully,  pulling 
out  all  plants  which  are  impure;  keep  the  crop  free 
from  weeds.  Harvest,  thresh  and  clean  after  the 
manner  as  described  for  kale  or  borecole,  to  which 
refer. 

Sold  by  seed-dealers  generally,  the  greatest  demand 
being  from  the  Southern  States.  The  most  of  the  seed 
used  is  grown  in  the  South,  the  remainder  in  Cali- 
fornia. 

In  a  favorable  season  a  yield  of  seed  is  from  1,500  to 
2,000  pounds  per  acre;  at  prices  to  the  grower,  for  gar- 
den varieties,  of  twelve  to  fifteen  cents  per  pound. 

OKRA. 

This  annual  does  best  in  a  light,  rich  soil.  Sow  seed 
in  early  spring,  in  rows  three  to  five  feet  apart,  accord- 
ing to  variety,  and  when  plants  are  six  inches  high, 
thin  out  to  fifteen  inches  between  the  plants  for  dwarf 
varieties,  three  feet  for  the  tall.  Rogue  by  pulling  out 


OKRA — ONION.  63 

all  plants  which  are  not  true  to  variety  as  respects 
dwarfness  or  tallness,  shape  and  color  of  pods. 

In  Alabama,  where  the  most  of  the  seed  now  sold  by 
the  trade  is  grown,  sowing  is  done  from  April  15th  to 
May  15th;  good  cotton  land  is  preferred  for  the  crop. 
Harvest  begins  there  in  the  latter  part  of  October  and  is 
continued  into  November,  or  until  after  plants  have 
been  killed  by  frost,  for  okra  keeps  on  bearing  fruit 
until  frost. 

The  ripe  pods  are  cut  by  hand,  the  use  of  a  machine 
for  harvesting  not  being  possible,  owing  to  the  thickness 
of  the  stalks,  which  frequently  attain  to  two  inches  in 
diameter.  Pods  are  taken  at  once  to  the  barn  or  shed 
to  be  dried,  after  which  they  are  shelled  in  a  thresher  or 
a  cow-pea  huller;  a  corn-sheller  does  the  work  very  well. 

A  small  quantity  may  either  be  threshed  in  a  bag  or 
shelled  by  hand.  Clean  in  the  fan-mill.  Store,  when 
seed  is  perfectly  dry,  in  sacks. 

All  seed -dealers  handle  okra  seed,  the  heaviest  de- 
mand being  from  the  Southern  States.  It  is  all  grown 
in  this  country;  mostly  in  Alabama  and  Georgia,  some 
in  New  Jersey.  In  a  good  season  a  seed-yield  is  from 
750  to  1,000  pounds  per  acre,  at  an  average  price  to  the 
grower  of  ten  cents  per  pound. 

ONION. 

Onion  seed  can  be  grown  with  success  in  most  any 
section  of  the  United  States.  Soil  for  it  should  be 
moderately  rich;  if  too  rich,  blossoms  are  liable  to 
blight. 

Bulbs  for  a  seed-crop  should  be  sorted  carefully, 
throwing  out  all  which,  in  shape  and  color,  are  not 
according  to  variety.  No  bulb  under  the  size  of  a 
walnut  should  be  planted  for  seed.  Full-grown  bulbs, 


64  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

however,  are  more  productive,  bearing  larger  seed- 
stems  than  do  plants  from  smaller  bulbs.  But  it  is 
customary  with  many  who  grow  onion  sets  extensively, 
to  raise  their  own  seed  from  small  bulbs  not  under  the 
size  of  a  walnut,  sorted  by  themselves  from  the  larger 
onions  produced  in  a  crop  of  sets.  Seed  produced  from 
such  bulbs  is  not  inferior  to  that  from  full-grown  bulbs. 

Bulbs  should  be  set  out  in  drills,  six  inches  deep,  six 
inches  apart,  in  rows  three  feet  apart.  Fifty  sacks  of 
full-grown  bulbs  are  usually  planted  to  the  acre.  Cul- 
tivate the  crop  twice  or  more. 

In  the  Northern  States,  planting  of  bulbs  is  done  late 
in  summer  so  as  to  secure  a  good  growth  before  winter. 
The  onion  is  hardy  and  withstands  the  winter  without 
protection,  and  seed  produced  from  fall  planting  will 
mature  earlier  than  that  from  spring-planted  bulbs. 

In  California,  planting  of  bulbs  is  done  from  late  in 
autumn  until  February  1st,  seed  being  harvested  in 
October.  In  that  climate  the  bulbs  which  are  harvested 
in  autumn  are  simply  stored  in  sacks,  and  generally 
kept  piled  out  of  doors  until  wanted  for  planting. 

When  seed-heads  turn  yellow,  and  begin  to  burst, 
they  may  be  cut.  They  are  placed  on  cloths  and  left 
exposed  to  the  sun  and  air  to  dry  for  a  day  or  longer, 
according  to  climate.  They  are  then  taken  to  the  barn 
or  shed,  spread  thinly,  and  allowed  to  become  thor- 
oughly dry  before  threshing. 

Threshing  is  done  in  a  threshing  machine;  or  may  be 
done  with  a  flail  or  a  roller,  on  a  cloth  laid  on  the  floor. 
Seed  is  then  run  once  or  twice  through  the  fan-mill  or 
seed-cleaner.  After  which  it  is  given  a  washing  in  a 
tank  or  in  a  tub  of  water,  to  remove  the  light  seeds  and 
remaining  portions  of  pod.  For  this  operation  a  clear, 
dry  day  is  chosen.  In  the  washing  process,  the  whole 


ONION — ONION   SETS.  65 

is  gently  stirred,  which  causes  heavy,  good  seed  to  fall 
to  the  bottom,  light  seed  and  trash  to  float;  the  latter 
being  then  skimmed  off.  Seed  is  now  taken  out  and 
spread  thinly  on  cloths  in  the  sun  to  dry,  during  which 
it  has  to  be  stirred  frequently.  It  is  then  taken  to  the 
drying-room  or  loft,  and  there  allowed  to  remain  spread 
thinly  for  some  time  until  it  has  become  thoroughly 
dry,  when  final  cleaning  is  given  in  the  fan-mill;  after 
which  it  is  ready  to  be  stored. 

Market — Upwards  of  1,000,000  pounds  of  onion 
seeds  are  handled  annually  by  the  American  seed-trade, 
of  which  700,000  pounds  are  produced  in  Central  Cali- 
fornia; the  remainder,  excepting  Italian  and  Bermuda 
varieties,  which  are  imported,  is  grown  mainly  in 
Connecticut,  Pennsylvania,  Michigan  and  Oregon. 

Of  the  Italian  and  Bermuda  varieties,  the  best  seeds 
continue  to  be  imported,  as  the  exact  location  in  the 
United  States  has  yet  to  be  found  in  which  seed  of 
these  can  be  produced  equal  to  European  in  quality. 

In  good  seasons  a  seed-crop  runs  from  600  to  700 
pounds  per  acre;  prices  paid  to  growers  for  American 
varieties  range  from  thirty  to  forty-five  cents  per  pound 
for  yellow  and  red  sorts,  sixty  to  seventy  cents  for 
white. 

ONION  SETS. 

For  the  successful  production  of  onion  sets,  the  soil 
should  be  heavily  manured,  this  usually  being  done  in 
northern  latitudes  in  August  or  September.  Ploughing 
is  done  there  late  in  autumn,  or  in  January  or  February, 
so  as  to  have  a  good  freeze  for  the  ground  before  seed- 
sowing.  About  the  twentieth  of  March,  say  in  latitude 
of  southern  Ohio,  the  ground  is  gone  over  with  a  one  or 
a  two-horse  cultivator,  and  put  in  as  fine  tilth  as  possi- 
5 


66  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

ble.  After  a  good  harrowing,  the  soil  is  made  even 
with  a  drag. 

Seed  for  the  production  of  onion  sets  is  generally 
raised  by  the  onion-set  growers  themselves,  by  planting 
in  the  fall  for  that  purpose  bulbs  above  the  size  of  a 
walnut,  which  were  produced  by  them  in  a  previous 
crop  of  sets.  See  preceding  chapter  on  onion  seed. 

Thirty-five  to  forty-five  pounds  of  seed  are  usually 
sown  to  the  acre,  in  rows  three  and  a  half  inches  or  five 
inches  wide,  according  to  drill  used,  five  inches'  space 
being  left  between  rows  for  cultivation  with  a  wheel 
hoe.  The  crop  must  be  cultivated  and  kept  free  from 
weeds;  it  generally  being  gone  over  five  or  six  times  up 
to  about  20th  of  June,  when  cultivation  is  discontinued, 
otherwise  sets  will  be  injured.  Harvest  takes  place, 
according  to  latitude,  from  July  4th  to  August  1st. 

Harvesting. — When  the  sets  show  signs  of  ripening, 
indicated  by  the  tops  getting  soft,  they  are  lifted  by  a 
wheel-hoe  fitted  with  a  lifter,  which  is  a  piece  of  steel 
six  and  a  half  to  seven  inches  wide,  made  sharp  at  the 
bottom  and  bolted  on.  After  a  number  of  rows  have 
been  lifted,  the  bulbs  and  tops  intact  are  pulled  and  laid 
in  small  piles  or  windrows,  five  to  six  rows  being  made 
into  one  pile  at  a  time.  The  position  in  the  windrow  is 
upright,  bulbs  touching  the  ground,  tops  up;  the  bulbs 
being  thereby  protected  from  sunburn.  In  this  man- 
ner, in  windrows,  bulbs  are  left  to  mature  and  cure,  ex- 
posed to  the  sun  or  rain,  for  two  or  three  weeks  after 
pulling. 

In  California  it  is  the  fashion,  immediately  after  sets 
are  lifted,  while  tops  are  somewhat  green  yet,  to  stack 
the  tops  and  bulbs,  packed  closely,  in  upright  position 
(as  in  windrows),  in  shallow  boxes,  which  are  then 
placed  under  shelter  in  a  shed  or  a  barn.  In  this  manner, 


ONION   SETS.  67 

onion  sets  are  preserved  in  that  climate  for  six  months 
or  longer,  and  are  usually  almost  as  fresh  in  appearance 
at  the  end  of  that  time  as  they  were  at  the  beginning. 

Cleaning. — To  clean  onion  sets  properly,  the  weather 
should  be  dry  and  warm.  For  the  purpose,  a  quarter- 
inch  meshed  wire  screen  twelve  to  fourteen  feet  long, 
three  feet  in  width,  is  generally  used  after  the  following 
manner. 

Sets  are  gathered  from  the  windrows  after  the  dew  is 
off  in  the  morning,  say  about  nine  o'clock,  and  are 
first  placed  on  canvas  or  boards  to  dry  off.  This  is  to 
be  done  in  the  shade,  so  as  to  avoid  sunburn;  sets  must 
not  be  exposed  to  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun.  When 
they  have  become  thoroughly  dry,  cleaning  is  in  order. 
This  is  performed  by  simply  rubbing  them  back  and 
forth  on  the  screen  until  they  are  cleaned  from  tops, 
roots  and  dirt,  when  they  are  pushed  out  of  one  end  of 
it  into  bushel  baskets. 

Storing. — Onion  sets  are  best  preserved  at  a  uni- 
formly low,  dry  temperature,  with  absence  of  light; 
above  everything,  moisture  and  heating  in  bulk  should 
be  guarded  against.  To  avoid  gathering  moisture  and 
heating,  they  should  not  be  packed  over  six  inches  in 
depth.  If  they  become  too  warm  they  will  start  to 
growing.  In  the  fall  and  spring  the  room  in  which 
they  are  stored,  while  it  should  be  darkened,  should 
have  free  circulation  of  air  by  opening  the  doors  and 
windows,  especially  on  warm,  clear  days;  besides  which, 
the  sets  should  be  stirred  and  turned  over  about  twice 
a  week. 

Sets  will  bear  a  temperature  down  to  25  above 
zero  without  injury.  But  if  they  should  chance  to  get 
frozen,  do  not  handle  or  disturb  them  while  in  that 
condition;  merely  keep  them  covered  as  hereafter 


68  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

directed  and  let  them  remain  till  the  frost  has  naturally 
and  gradually  gone  out  of  them.  Always  handle  onion 
sets  as  you  would  apples,  for  even  slight  bruises  will 
cause  them  to  rot. 

They  may  be  stored  in  the  barn  or  warehouse,  spread 
out  to  the  depth  of  five  or  six  inches  on  a  loose  floor 
where  the  air  can  pass  up  through  them.  On  approach 
of  extremely  cold  weather,  say  10  or  so  above  zero,  the 
floor,  if  loose,  should  be  covered  with  tar-paper  and 
the  sets  heaped  upon  it  to  a  depth  of  about  18  inches, 
and  covered  with  grain  bags,  old  carpet,  tar-paper,  hay 
or  straw.  The  doors,  windows  and  all  crevices  should 
be  closed,  and  kept  so  while  the  cold  spell  lasts. 

Some  of  the  larger  growers  store  in  crates.  These 
crates  are  usually  three  feet  wide  by  four  feet  long;  the 
bottoms  being  made  openly  of  plastering  lath,  the  sides 
four  inches  in  depth,  with  the  end-pieces  six  inches 
high,  which  latter  is  to"  permit  circulation  of  air  between 
the  crates  when  they  are  set  on  top  of  one  another.  In 
piling  them,  they  are  generally  placed  four  to  eight 
crates  high.  In  case  of  cold  weather,  ten  or  so  above 
zero,  the  crates  are  kept  covered  well  with  tar-paper  to 
keep  out  the  cold  air. 

Before  shipment  give  a  final  cleaning  by  running 
through  the  fan-mill. 

Market. — For  many  years  Pennsylvania  held  the 
lead  in  the  Union  for  the  production  of  onion  sets.  In 
those  days,  growers  obtained  on  an  average  $4.00  a 
bushel  for  yellow  and  $5.00  for  white;  when  there  was 
a  short  crop,  prices  advanced  to  $8.00  and  $10.00  and 
higher,  per  bushel.  But  prices  have  lowered  exceed- 
ingly since  the  West  has  taken  up  production.  It  is  to  be 
remembered  that  there  was  scarcely  a  bushel  of  onion 
sets  raised  around  Chicago  thirty-five  years  ago,  whereas 


ONION   SETS — PARSLEY.  69 

to-day  the  production  in  its  vicinity  amounts  to  many 
thousands  of  bushels  annually.  Great  quantities  are 
also  now  produced  around  other  Western  cities,  notably 
Louisville,  Cincinnati,  St.  Louis,  and  Chillicothe,  Ohio, 
the  production  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  latter  city 
alone  being  about  50,000  bushels  annually. 

The  demand  is  confined  principally  to  the  yellow 
variety,  owing  to  its  good  keeping  qualities;  the  propor- 
tion of  production  being  two  bushels  of  yellow  to  one 
of  white. 

In  a  favorable  season  a  crop  of  onion  sets  will  average 
from  150  to  200  bushels  per  acre,  but  there  have  been 
exceptionally  greater  yields.  Prices  paid  to  growers 
have  latterly  ruled  from  eighty  to  ninety  cents  per 
bushel  for  yellow  and  ninety  cents  to  one  dollar  for 
white. 

PARSLEY. 

This  is  a  two  seasons'  crop,  flowering  and  seeding 
taking  place  in  the  second  year.  To  avoid  mixture, 
the  varieties  must  be  kept  separate,  and  not  allowed  to 
seed  near  each  other.  Rogue  in  the  fall;  in  the  case  of 
the  curled  sorts,  select  the  best  and  finest-curled  speci- 
mens, destroying  the  rejected  plants.  Plants  are  win- 
tered over  in  trenches  after  the  manner  practiced  for 
celery,  or  they  may  be  left  in  the  field  where  sowing 
was  made,  earth  being  thrown  up  to  the  plant  on  ap- 
proach of  winter,  and  protection  given  with  a  light 
covering  of  straw  or  hay;  on  the  Pacific  coast  this  pro- 
tection is  not  necessary. 

If  wintered  over  in  trenches,  set  out  the  plants  early 
in  spring,  in  rows  three  feet  apart,  one  foot  in  the  row. 
Cultivate  and  keep  weeds  clown. 

Cut  the  stalks  when  bulk  of  the  seed  is  ripe.     Let 


70  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

them  remain  on  the  ground  exposed  to  the  sun  to  dry 
for  a  few  days,  or  longer,  if  weather  continues  clear. 
In  the  barn  or  drying-house  they  should  be  allowed  to 
become  thoroughly  dry  before  threshing. 

Threshing,  Cleaning,  Etc.— All  these  operations 
are  similar  to  celery,  which  see. 

Market. — The  foliage  of  parsley  being  largely  used 
for  garnishing  and  for  flavoring,  much  seed  is  sold, 
nearly  all  of  which,  amounting  to  thousands  of  pounds, 
comes  from  Europe.  The  little,  however,  that  is  grown 
here,  has  proved  to  be  equal  to  foreign  seed  in  quality, 
indicating  that  there  is  no  necessity  for  importation,  but 
that  all  we  use  could  be  grown  to  profitable  advantage 
by  ourselves. 

Four  to  five  hundred  pounds  of  seed  to  the  acre  is 
the  average  yield,  but  this  has  been  greatly  exceeded. 
Prices  paid  to  European  growers,  laid  down  in  New 
York,  range  from  ten  to  thirteen  cents  per  pound,  ac- 
cording to  variety. 

PARSNIP. 

This  vegetable  seeds  in  the  second  year;  the  best  soil 
for  it  is  a  rich,  sandy  loam.  No  attempt  should  be 
made  to  grow  seed  where  wild  parsnip  abounds,  for 
mixture  will  surely  result,  and  the  seed  produced  will 
be  unfit  and  unreliable. 

It  is  perfectly  hardy,  and  roots  are  left  in  the  ground 
over  winter.  To  have  first-class  seed,  roots  should  be 
dug  up  and  sorted  over  in  the  spring,  and  only  the 
smooth,  straight  and  finest  specimens  selected  for  re- 
planting. These  are  set  out  in  rows  four  feet  apart,  six 
inches  in  the  row;  until  so  covered  with  foliage  as  to 
prevent  growth  of  weeds,  there  should  be  constant  cul- 
tivation. 


PARSNIP — PEA.  71 

Seeds  are  produced  in  heads,  two  seeds  being  formed 
together,  flat  against  one  another;  ripening  is  known 
when  these  twin  seeds  begin  to  separate. 

Harvest,  Cleaning,  Etc. — These  operations  are 
similar  to  those  given  for  celery,  to  which  refer. 

Market. — Parsnip  seed  follows  carrot  in  order  of 
consumption;  at  least  fifty  per  cent,  of  the  quantity 
handled  at  present  by  the  trade  is  purchased  in  Europe, 
the  rest  is  produced  here,  in  New  England,  the  Middle 
and  Western  States  and  in  Eastern  Washington.  In  a 
favorable  season  a  seed  yield  is  from  five  hundred  to 
six  hundred  pounds  per  acre,  at  from  eight  to  ten  cents 
per  pound  to  the  grower. 

PEA. 

The  best  soil  for  a  crop  of  pea  seed  is  that  of  a  light 
character,  moderately  rich,  less  manure  being  actually 
required  than  for  most  other  crops.  Moreover  it 
should  be  in  good  mechanical  condition,  as  peas  are  not 
cultivated.  The  pea  self-fertilizes,  and  different  varie- 
ties may  be  grown  near  each  other  without  admixture. 

To  have  perfectly  matured  seed,  sowing  for  a  seed- 
crop  should  be  deferred  until  the  most  favorable  period 
for  the  uniformly  progressive  development  of  the  plant, 
which  in  the  present  favored  seed-pea  growing  sections 
of  the  United  States — Central  Michigan  and  Northern 
New  York — is  about  May  15th;  in  fact,  as  soon  as  frost 
is  entirely  out  of  the  ground,  sometimes  a  week  or  more 
earlier  than  date  given. 

Sowing  is  made  in  drills,  J  to  1  inch  apart  in  the 
row,  the  rows  8  to  12  inches  apart;  about  three  bushels 
of  seed  are  sown  per  acre. 

Stock  or  planting  seed  should  be  pure  and  have  been 
grown  with  careful  attention  to  roguing;  but  roguing 


72  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

must  be  continued  as  far  as  practicable  with  the  com- 
mercial seed  crop,  labor  of  same  being  reduced  to  a 
minimum  by  sowing  pure  stock-seed.  The  main  points 
to  be  observed  in  roguing  are  general  character  of 
growth  of  vine,  shape  of  leaf,  shape  and  size,  length 
and  breadth  of  pod.  In  growing  stock-seed,  rows 
should  be  made  farther  apart  than  for  main  crop,  about 
the  same  distance  as  in  ordinary  garden  culture,  so  as 
to  provide  the  necessary  convenience  for  roguing. 

Harvest  usually  begins  early  in  August.  It  is  done 
when  the  great  bulk  of  the  crop  is  ripe,  almost  regard- 
less of  weather.  If  allowed  to  get  too  ripe,  loss  by 
shelling  out  and  handling  will  be  excessive.  On  large 
acreages,  it  is  performed  with  a  mowing  machine  hav- 
ing a  pea-harvester  attachment.  The  small  grower, 
with  only  two  or  three  acres,  usually  cuts  with  a  heavy 
scythe,  throwing  vines  by  the  scythe  into  small  piles. 
When  cutting  is  done  with  the  machine,  vines  are 
forked  into  small  piles.  These  are  allowed  to  dry  for  a 
day  or  two,  and  then  hauled  to  the  bam  like  hay.  In 
the  barn  they  are  stacked  loosely  to  await  the  thresher. 

Threshing,  Cleaning.— Threshing  may  be  done  on 
the  barn  floor  with  the  flail,  but  best  results  are  ob- 
tained by  use  of  the  threshing  machine  especially 
designed  for  peas  and  beans,  which  has  been  mentioned 
in  the  chapter  on  beans.  Cleaning  is  done  in  a  fan- 
mill  or  seed-cleaner;  after  which  seeds  are  carefully 
hand-picked  to  take  out  broken,  imperfect,  and  defec- 
tive grains  and  impurities.  For  the  latter  purpose 
a  machine  called  a  pea-picker  may  be  used. 

Market. — Besides  being  a  great  favorite  in  every 
garden,  the  pea  is  grown  extensively  by  market  garden- 
ers, particularly  in  the  Southern  States  along  the  coast, 
where,  for  early  shipment  to  Northern  markets,  it  forms 


PEA.  73 

a  farm  crop  of  much  importance.  It  is  also  grown 
largely  for  canning  purposes. 

In  seed-peas  the  transactions  in  the  trade  lead,  in  bulk 
and  monetary  consequence,  every  other  seed  in  the 
vegetable  line;  aggregately,  more  than  750  carloads  of 
seed-peas  of  garden  varieties  are  handled  annually  at 
present  by  the  American  trade.  Formerly  this  pea 
seed  was  all  imported  from  Europe,  but  now  nearly  all 
of  it  is  produced  within  our  own  border,  the  exception 
being  what  is  raised  in  Canada.  Engaged  in  the  indus- 
try in  our  country,  there  are  upwards  of  a  score  of 
growers  on  a  large  scale,  and  numberless  smaller  growers, 
the  great  majority  of  them  being  located  in  New  York,  in 
Michigan,  in  Northern  Wisconsin,  and  in  Canada  along 
the  margin  of  Lake  Ontario.  Some  of  the  smaller 
growers  are  scattered  through  Eastern  Washington, 
Utah,  Western  Oregon,  and  Northern  California.  In 
all  these  sections  the  climate  and  soil  are  peculiarly 
favorable  for  seed-pea  growing.  In  the  southern  por- 
tions, or  warmer  climates  of  the  country,  the  crop  is 
more  subject  to  the  pea  weevil  than  elsewhere,  and  on 
that  account  production  of  seed-peas  in  such  localities 
is  not  undertaken. 

A  yield  of  pea  seed  depends  upon  the  variety, 
whether  dwarf,  tall,  small  or  large-seeded,  etc.,  varying 
according  to  season,  from  eighteen  to  twenty -five  bushels 
per  acre  for  early  and  dwarf  sorts,  from  twenty  to 
thirty  bushels  per  acre  for  taller  kinds.  Prices  for 
staple  varieties  range  from  $1.50  to  $2. 50  per  bushel, 
according  to  variety;  newer  and  choicer  varieties,  from 
$2.50  to  $3.50  per  bushel. 

Pea  Weevil. — This  insect  lays  its  eggs  on  the  out- 
side of  the  young  pods  in  the  field.  After  these  are 
hatched,  the  young  larva  works  through  the  pod  to  the 


74  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

growing  seed  within  and  there  makes  its  home,  living 
and  feeding,  to  become  finally  a  pupa  or  a  complete 
bug.  In  this  last  form  it  remains  dormant  in  the  seed, 
eventually  to  come  out  when  the  seed  is  sown;  or  as 
often  happens,  it  may  emerge  earlier,  when  the  seed  is 
in  the  seed-bin  or  in  the  sack.  By  instinct  the  insect 
avoids  the  germ,  subsisting  only  on  the  material  which 
encloses  the  germ,  that  substance  provided  by  nature  as 
food  for  the  young  plant  until  it  can  succor  itself  by 
means  of  its  roots.  But  sometimes  the  insect,  when  too 
voracious,  will  consume  too  much  of  this  plant-food 
matter,  and  this  then  is  the  cause  of  some  bug-eaten 
peas  not  germinating.  If  they  do  sprout,  then  the  young 
plants  frequently  die  from  lack  of  sufficient  nourishment. 

To  insure  protection  from  pea  weevil,  the  seed-dealer 
should  dose  his  seed-peas  with  bisulphide  of  carbon  as 
soon  as  received  in  store.  The  manner  in  which  to  do 
this  is  to  place  the  bag  or  bags  containing  the  peas  in 
an  air-tight  room  or  a  close-covered  bin,  and  leave  them 
exposed  to  the  vapors  of  the  bisulphide  from  twenty- 
four  to  forty-eight  hours,  which  will  kill  the  dormant 
bugs  without  injury  to  the  seed.  The  same  is  also  effec- 
tive for  killing  bugs  in  beans,  cow  peas,  and  all  other 
seeds. 

The  bisulphide  of  carbon  is  placed  in  a  dish  and  set 
on  top  of  the  bags  containing  the  seed.  It  evaporates 
rapidly,  and  the  heavy  vapors  sink  into  the  mass  of  the 
seed  and  kill  the  bugs.  If  found  necessary  repeat  the 
operation  several  times  during  a  season.  In  small  quan- 
tities, bisulphide  of  carbon  costs  15  to  20  cents  per 
pound;  one  pound  should  treat  30  bushels  of  seed.  The 
liquid  and  the  fumes  are  very  inflammable  and  poison- 
ous, and  all  fire  should  be  kept  away  from  it;  for  that 
reason  an  unoccupied,  air-tight  room  is  to  be  preferred 


PEA — PEPPER.  75 

for  using  it;  some  have  a  large,  tight  box  or  bin  specially 
made  for  treatment  of  their  seeds  with  it. 

If  it  is  desired  to  destroy  weevil  in  a  small  quantity 
of  seed,  the  bisulphide  of  carbon  may  be  put  into  a 
small,  wide-mouthed  bottle,  over  which  a  cloth  has 
been  tied.  This  is  placed  in  the  bottom  of  an  air-tight 
barrel,  and  the  seed  to  be  treated  is  poured  on  top  and 
the  barrel  is  then  carefully  covered;  in  course  of  two  or 
three  days  all  insect  life  will  have  been  killed. 

PEPPER. 

This  annual  requires  a  rich,  loamy  soil  for  a  full 
seed  crop.  No  two  varieties  should  be  planted  near 
each  other,  to  prevent  mixture.  In  the  Northern 
States,  plants  are  set  out  from  seed-beds  from  May  25th 
to  June  1st,  in  rows  three  feet  apart,  eighteen  inches  in 
the  row.  In  California  and  in  the  Southern  States, 
planting  is  done  much  earlier.  Cultivate  as  you  would 
for  eggplant. 

Seed  is  ripe  when  pods  have  changed  color  to  red  or 
yellow,  as  the  variety  may  be;  pods  are  picked  off  by 
hand. 

For  extracting  seed  on  a  commercial  scale,  a  machine 
similar  to  the  one  for  cucumber  is  used,  operated  by 
steam  or  a  gasoline  motor.  The  pods  are  shoveled  or 
poured  into  the  hopper  of  this  machine  and  crushed 
into  fine  pulp,  being  then  passed  to  a  revolving  wire 
reel  which  separates  seed,  from  large  portions  of  pulp. 
Seed  is  now  immediately  washed  in  running  water  in  a 
wooden  vat,  which  is  made  18  or  20  feet  long,  1J  feet 
wide,  2J  feet  deep,  fitted  with  a  wire  sieve  of  suitable 
mesh,  set  6  inches  from  the  top;  at  the  lower  end  there  is 
a  gate  or  door  to  let  water  out  and  remove  seed.  The 
slowly  running  water  washes  away  pulp,  while  seed 


76  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

sinks  through  the  sieve  and  settles  to  the  bottom  of  the 
vat.  When  seed  is  thoroughly  clean  it  is  spread  thinly 
on  drying  screens,  or  on  trays,  which  are  set  in  the  sun 
and  air  to  dry.  When  thoroughly  dry,  and  before 
storing,  it  is  given  a  final  cleaning  in  the  fan-mill. 

On  a  small  scale,  pods  may  be  mashed  or  crushed  in 
a  barrel,  or  may  be  ground  in  a  portable  wine  or  cider 
mill,  and  washed  in  a  tub  or  a  barrel  of  water,  using 
hand  sieves  of  suitable  mesh. 

Pepper  pulp  is  not  usually  allowed  to  ferment,  as  it 
will  darken  the  color  of  seed;  if  any  fermentation  is 
given  it  should  be  very  slight.  Some  growers  instead 
of  crushing  the  pods  simply  cut  off  the  stem  end  and 
take  out  the  seed  core;  the  empty  pods  are  then  sold  at 
about  10  cents  per  pound  to  pickle  men  and  manufac- 
turers of  pepper  slaw. 

To  Save  Stock  Seeds  and  Seeds  for  Private  Use. 
— Select  the  earliest,  largest  and  best-shaped  pods. 
These  may  be  hung  to  a  rafter  in  a  dry,  airy  room ;  seeds 
keep  better  and  are  preserved  best  in  their  dried  pods. 

Market. — Pepper  seed  is  handled  by  all  seed-dealers 
in  a  moderate  way,  being  sold  at  retail  usually  by  the 
ounce,  or  in  small  packets,  except  in  the  South,  where 
it  is  planted  extensively  for  market  and  sold  in  larger 
quantities.  The  estimated  yearly  consumption  in  this 
country  is  upwards  of  50,000  pouuds.  The  great  bulk 
of  it,  especially  the  mild,  sweet  varieties,  is  produced 
at  present  in  California,  New  Jersey,  and  in  the  South; 
some  "  hot  "  varieties  are  imported.  Pepper  seed  may 
be  grown  with  profit  in  any  of  the  States,  especially  the 
South. 

In  a  favorable  season,  yield  of  seed  is  about  200 
pounds  per  acre;  prices  paid  to  growers  rule  from  fifty 
to  sixty  cents  per  pound. 


POTATO.  77 

POTATO. 

It  is  impossible  to  improve  a  variety  of  potato  by  a 
selection  of  tubers.  This  may  be  demonstrated  by 
planting  a  badly-deformed  tuber;  the  product  will  show 
perfectly -formed  tubers,  true  to  the  variety  to  which  the 
deformed  parent  belonged. 

New  varieties,  therefore,  can  only  be  obtained  by 
sowing  seed,  which  is  produced  in  the  berry  borne  on 
the  potato  plant.  From  100  to  300  seeds  are  contained 
in  a  single  berry,  all  of  which  are  likely  to  produce 
plants  which  will  be  entirely  different  from  the  parent; 
no  two  plants  will  be  alike;  dissimilarity  will  be  shown 
not  only  in  form  but  in  color.  It  is  evident,  therefore, 
that  the  production  of  a  new  variety  is  a  work  requiring 
extreme  patience,  as  before  the  discovery  of  one  that  is 
an  improvement  over  already  existing  sorts,  it  may  be 
necessary  to  cultivate  many  hundreds  of  seedlings.  It 
was,  however,  by  such  patience  and  perseverence,  that 
all  our  present  valuable  market  varieties  have  originated. 
The  Reverend  Chauncey  E.  Goodrich,  of  Utica,  N.  Y., 
who  originated  about  1866  the  king  of  potatoes,  the 
early  Rose,  a  seedling  of  the  early  Goodrich  (also 
originated  by  him),  certainly  deserved  to  clear  a  fortune 
from  it,  if  he  did  not  do  so.  A  neighbor  and  friend  of 
his.  who  assisted  in  its  introduction,  did  reap  a  small 
fortune,  said  to  have  been  about  $25,000  in  one  year, 
from  its  sale  for  seed,  when  it  retailed  at  $4.00  per 
pound.  After  an  existence  of  forty  years,  the  early 
Rose  continues  to-day  popular  and  unsurpassed  for  its 
earliness  and  good  quality. 

It  takes  two  years  to  produce  full-sized  potato  tubers 
from  seed.  Starting  of  seed  may  be  done  early  in 
spring  in  a  hotbed,  or  in  the  house  in  shallow  boxes 
filled  with  rich,  light  soil;  in  May  transfer  plants  to 


78  THE  SEED-GROWER. 

open  ground.  The  first  year's  tubers  are  very  small; 
these  after  being  preserved  over  winter  in  the  usual  way 
for  potatoes,  are  planted  the  following  spring  and  pro- 
duce large  tubers. 

Second  Crop  Seed  Potatoes. — In  the  Southern 
States,  where  the  early  or  spring  crop  of  potatoes 
matures  earlier  than  in  the  North,  it  is  almost  impossi- 
ble owing  to  the  climate  to  keep  the  tubers  over  the  fall 
and  following  winter  in  order  to  plant  in  spring. 
Therefore,  Northern-grown  seed  potatoes  have  largely 
been  depended  on  in  the  South  for  seed  for  spring 
planting.  In  later  years,  however,  the  problem  has 
been  solved  economically  for  the  South  by  the  produc- 
tion in  that  section  of  a  second  or  fall  crop  of  potatoes, 
which  for  spring  planting  are  now  preferred  to  Northern- 
grown  tubers. 

The  method  for  obtaining  second-crop  potatoes,  is  to 
select  for  seed,  potatoes  from  the  spring  crop.  These 
may  be  left  in  the  ground  where  they  grew  until  ready 
to  plant,  or  may  be  preserved  by  spreading  them  on 
the  ground,  and  protecting  them  from  sun  and  rain  by 
a  light  covering  of  straw  or  leaf  mould.  This  seed  is 
then  planted,  in  latitude  35  degrees,  early  in  August. 
Before  planting,  the  buds  are  started  or  sprouted  by 
spreading  the  potatoes  in  a  cool,  shaded  place,  covering 
them  with  three  or  four  inches  of  garden  loam  or  sand, 
and  keeping  same  moist,  not  wet,  until  the  sprouts 
are  an  eighth  or  a  quarter  of  an  inch  long,  which  will  be 
in  about  two  weeks'  time.  Planting  is  done  in  the 
same  manner  as  for  a  spring  crop,  but  covering  is  made 
a  little  deeper. 

This  crop  matures  quicker  than  a  spring  crop,  and 
keeping  qualities  of  these  second-crop  potatoes  are  all 
that  could  be  wished  for ;  for  table  use  they  are  un- 
excelled. 


PUMPKIN.  79 

PUMPKIN. 

A  seed  crop  of  pumpkin  is  managed  as  for  cucumber 
and  melon  seed.  As  directed  for  them,  the  same  care 
must  be  taken  to  prevent  mixture;  pumpkins  will  mix 
with  each  other,  with  any  variety  of  squash  and  with 
gourds. 

In  the  Northern  States  seed  is  sown  from  May  5th  to 
May  15th,  in  hills  eight  feet  apart  each  way,  eight  to 
twelve  seeds  in  a  hill,  thinning  out  subsequently  to  two 
of  the  strongest  plants  in  a  hill. 

Harvest. — Fruit  may  remain  on  the  vines  until 
after  first  frost,  except  soft-shelled  varieties,  which 
should  not  be  allowed  to  be  subject  to  a  heavy  frost,  as 
it  will  cause  them  to  rot.  In  the  Middle  West,  the 
usual  method  is  to  remove  the  soft-shelled  varieties 
early  in  October,  hard-shelled  sorts  about  October  10th. 
They  should  be  handled  carefully  to  avoid  cracking  or 
bruising,  and  should  be  gathered  in  a  pile  on  a  spot 
to  the  south  side  of  a  barn  or  shed.  In  case  of  cold 
weather,  protect  with  a  light  covering  of  straw  or  hay, 
and  allow  to  remain  for  a  week  or  two  to  more  properly 
mature  the  fruit  before  extracting  seed.  Should  any 
show  signs  of  rotting,  put  them  into  a  separate  pile. 

Extracting  Seed. —Seed  is  removed  by  cutting  open 
in  the  middle  with  a  spade,  a  corn  knife,  or  anything 
similar,  dull  enough  to  avoid  cutting  of  seed.  With  a 
heavy  iron  spoon,  the  seed  pulp  is  then  scooped  out 
into  bushel  baskets. 

Washing  and  Cleaning. — Washing  is  done  the 
same  day  that  seed  is  taken  out,  without  any  fermenta- 
tion whatever,  except  that  the  brown-seeded  varieties 
may  stand  one  day  before  washing.  White-seeded 
varieties  will  become  discolored  if  subjected  to  fermen- 
tation, which  would  injure  their  market  value.  It  is, 


80  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

therefore,  advisable  to  wash  seeds  of  the  latter  same 
day  they  are  taken  out 

The  usual  method  of  washing  is  to  put  the  pulp  in  a 
tight  barrel  and  then  mash  it  until  it  is  in  a  mushy 
condition.  One  or  two  pails  of  water  are  then  poured 
in  to  thin  the  pulp  and  a  hard  stirring  is  given.  More 
water  is  now  poured  in  until  the  barrel  is  filled,  and  the 
whole  is  stirred  with  a  rotary  motion.  The  white  seeds 
will  float  on  the  top  of  the  water  and  are  taken  out  by 
skimming  them  off.  Stir  several  times  to  release  seeds 
which  may  be  held  down  by  the  pulp.  Water  and 
pulp  are  then  emptied  out  of  the  barrel,  and  seeds  again 
washed  in  clear  water  if  first  washing  did  not  render 
them  clean  enough. 

In  washing  brown-seeded  varieties,  seeds  sink  to  the 
bottom  instead  of  floating. 

After  washing,  seeds  should  be  drained  and  spread 
on  drying  frames  to  dry.  They  may  then  be  stored  as 
for  cucumber. 

Market. — There  is  a  large  sale  among  all  seed- 
dealers;  seed  is  all  produced  in  this  country,  largely  in 
the  Western  States.  Yield  of  seed  in  a  good  season  runs 
from  200  to  300  pounds  per  acre;  prices  paid  to  grow- 
ers range  from  eight  to  fifteen  cents  per  pound,  accord- 
ing to  variety. 

RADISH. 

This  is  a  hardy  annual  and  succeeds  best  in  a  light, 
rich,  sandy  loam. 

In  growing  a  large  acreage  of  radish  seed  for  com- 
mercial purposes,  it  is  not  customary  to  transplant  the 
roots,  but  they  are  allowed  to  go  to  seed  where  they 
are  grown.  Roguing,  in  such  case,  is  done  with  the 
hoe  several  times  when  plants  are  small.  When  how- 


RADISH.  81 

ever,  transplanting  of  roots  is  not  done,  great  depend- 
ence is  placed  on  the  purity  of  the  stock  or  planting  seed. 

This  was  grown  the  previous  season  from  transplanted 
roots,  which  before  being  replanted  had  been  critically 
sorted,  only  the  finest  and  smoothest  specimens  having 
been  selected,  which  in  color  and  form  were  deeply  char- 
acteristic of  the  variety  and  did  not  have  very  long  tops. 

In  the  Northern  States,  seed  of  the  early  and  summer 
varieties  is  sown  early  in  April;  in  California,  from 
February  1st  to  March  1st.  It  is  done  not  too  thickly, 
in  rows  twenty  inches  apart,  thinning  subsequently  to 
four  or  five  inches  in  a  row. 

Winter  varieties  are  sown  in  the  Northern  States  in 
August.  Late  in  autumn,  roots  are  taken  up,  and  after 
being  carefully  sorted,  those  selected  are  wintered  over 
in  trenches  after  the  manner  described  for  wintering 
beets.  Early  in  the  following  spring,  they  are  set  out 
in  rows  two  feet  apart,  four  to  five  inches  in  the  row. 

Harvest  is  done  when  the  great  bulk  of  pods  have 
ripened.  The  stalks  are  cut  either  with  a  scythe  or  a 
mowing  machine.  The  cuttings  are  laid  in  rows  or 
forked  into  piles,  and  left  to  dry.  They  are  hauled  to 
the  barn  like  hay,  and  there  allowed  to  remain,  stacked 
loosely,  to  get  thoroughly  dry  before  threshing;  radish 
seed  requires  a  long  time  to  become  dry  enough  for  the 
latter  operation. 

Threshing  is  done  with  the  threshing  machine,  or 
with  a  roller  or  a  flail,  on  a  cloth  on  the  floor. 

Clean  by  running  twice  through  the  fan  mill.  After 
which  spread  the  seeds  thinly  in  the  drying  room  and 
leave  till  they  have  become  perfectly  dry,  when  they 
may  be  stored  in  sacks. 

Market. — This  vegetable  as  well  as  being  a  favorite 
in  every  home  garden,  is  grown  extensively  for  an 


82  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

early  crop  by  market  gardeners.  Many  of  the  larger 
seed-dealers  will  handle  thousands  of  pounds  of  radish 
seed  in  course  of  a  single  season.  The  demand  runs 
mostly  to  early  varieties;  red  turnip,  long  scarlet  and 
half  long  scarlet  being  the  kinds  most  popular. 

Nine-tenths  of  the  seed  used  by  the  American  trade  is 
imported  from  Europe,  the  remainder  is  grown  in  this 
country.  European  seed  forms  the  standard  for  the 
market,  owing  to  the  great  care  taken  in  its  production. 
Most  of  the  American  seed  is  grown  in  California; 
the  total  annual  production  there  being  upwards  of 
100,000  pounds.  Seed  of  excellent  quality  is  also 
grown  in  other  States,  mostly  in  New  England,  Penn- 
sylvania and  Michigan.  In  fact,  all  the  first-class 
radish  seed  in  demand  could  and  should  be  produced 
in  this  country  at  prices  on  a  par  with  Europe. 

In  a  good  season,  about  1,000  pounds  of  seed  per 
acre  are  an  average  yield,  but  exceptional  crops  have 
been  known  of  1,500  pounds.  Prices  laid  down  in 
New  York  for  either  American  or  European  seed,  range 
from  ten  to  fifteen  cents  per  pound  to  the  grower. 

RHUBARB. 

The  usual  method  of  propagation  is  by  root,  as  seed 
rarely  produces  roots  equal  to  the  parent.  The  main 
root  is  separated  so  that  each  division  contains  an  eye; 
these  divisions  are  used  for  planting. 

Seed,  however,  may  be  gathered  from  the  plant.  It 
is  produced  on  the  main  stalk.  The  stalks  after  being 
cut,  should  be  allowed  to  become  perfectly  dry  before 
threshing,  which  is  done  with  a  machine  or  with  a  flail 
on  a  cloth  on  the  floor,  or  seed  may  be  rubbed  off 
between  the  hands. 

Seed-dealers  handle  both  seed  and  roots  in  a  limited 


RHUBARB — SALSIFY.  83 

way.  Prices  paid  to  growers  for  roots  rule  from  fifty  to 
sixty  cents  per  dozen;  for  seed,  forty  to  fifty  cents  per 
pound. 

SALSIFY. 

Cultivation  is  similar  to  parsnip,  seed  being  produced 
in  the  second  year.  Salsify  succeeds  best  in  a  light, 
rich,  mellow  soil.  It  is  extremely  hardy  and  roots 
remain  in  the  field  over  winter.  In  spring  they  should 
be  taken  up  and  sorted  and  the  handsomest  specimens 
replanted  same  distance  apart  as  for  parsnip.  If  stock 
seed  has  been  produced  in  this  way,  the  roots  for  a 
commercial  seed  crop  may  be  allowed  to  go  to  seed 
where  they  stand  without  removal  in  spring.  Different 
varieties  should  not  be  allowed  to  seed  near  each  other. 

The  seed  head  resembles  that  of  dandelion,  although 
it  is  much  larger.  In  harvesting,  seed  heads  are  usually 
hand-picked,  and  as  they  ripen  unevenly,  the  field 
should  be  gone  over  twice  a  day  when  they  are  open- 
ing. They  are  gathered  and  dried  on  sheets.  After 
being  kept  spread  out  for  a  while  in  the  barn  or  drying 
house  till  they  have  become  thoroughly  dry,  they  may 
be  threshed  in  a  machine  or  with  a  roller,  after  which 
seed  is  cleaned  by  running  through  a  fan  mill.  It 
should  not  be  stored  until  it  is  perfectly  dry. 

Market. — Upwards  of  75,000  pounds  of  salsify  seed 
are  handled  annually  by  the  seed  trade  in  this  country; 
most  of  it  is  produced  in  Central  California,  where  a 
yield  in  a  favorable  season  is  about  500  pounds  per 
acre,  sometimes  running  to  1,000  pounds.  Prices 
usually  paid  to  growers  are  thirty  to  thirty-five  cents 
per  pound. 

It  is  a  crop  that  can  easily  be  grown  most  anywhere 
in  the  United  States. 


84  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

SPINACH. 

For  a  seed  crop  the  soil  can  hardly  be  too  rich. 
Sowing  should  be  made  in  autumn;  about  the  middle 
of  September  in  latitude  40  degrees;  drill  seed  in 
rows  two  feet  apart,  thinning  to  six  inches  in  the  row. 
It  stands  the  winter  without  protection.  To  prevent 
mixture,  no  two  varieties  should  be  planted  near  to- 
gether. 

In  spring,  loosen  the  soil,  cultivate  and  keep  free 
from  weeds.  Rogue  carefully,  pulling  up  all  plants 
which  show  a  departure  from  the  variety. 

When  bulk  of  seed  is  ripe,  cut  the  stalks  with  a 
scythe  or  with  a  mowing  machine,  throwing  them  into 
rows,  or  forking  into  piles.  Leave  in  the  field  for  a 
few  days  to  dry  before  hauling  to  the  barn  or  drying 
house.  Seed  should  be  allowed  to  become  thoroughly 
dry  before  threshing,  which  may  be  done  either  with  a 
flail  or  the  threshing  machine. 

Clean  by  running  twice  through  the  fan  mill;  as  seed 
forms  in  clusters,  it  may  be  necessary  to  hand-rub. 
Let  remain  spread  out  on  a  cloth  after  cleaning  for 
complete  drying  before  storing. 

Market. — Many  hundreds  of  thousands  of  pounds 
of  spinach  seed  are  sold  yearly  by  the  combined  Amer- 
ican seed  trade,  this  vegetable  being  grown  extensively 
as  a  field  crop  for  market.  Seed  is  nearly  all  imported 
from  Europe,  but  as  has  been  said  of  other  varieties, 
it  could  all  be  grown  to  advantage  in  this  country. 
New  York,  Pennsylvania  and  some  few  other  States 
produce  seed  equal  to  best  European  stocks. 

In  a  good  season,  a  yield  will  be  1,000  to  1,500 
pounds  per  acre.  European  seed  is  laid  down  in  New 
York,  duty  included,  at  five  to  six  cents  per  pound. 


SQUASH.  85 

SQUASH. 

Treatment  for  raising  a  seed  crop  is  similar  to  pump- 
kin. Squash  does  best  in  a  good,  rich  soil  and  thrives 
in  a  warm  temperature.  To  avoid  mixture,  two  differ- 
ent varieties  should  not  be  allowed  to  grow  near  each 
other;  squash  will  also  mix  with  pumpkin  and  with 
gourds.  A  safe  distance  to  keep  varieties  apart  is  forty 
rods. 

In  the  Middle  States  and  in  the  West,  the  usual  time 
for  planting  is  May  15th  for  summer  varieties,  May 
5th  to  15th  for  winter  kinds. 

Make  hills  for  the  former,  three  feet  apart  each  way; 
for  the  latter,  eight  feet  each  way;  summer  varieties 
may  also  be  planted  in  rows  three  feet  apart,  dropping 
two  or  three  seeds  every  eight  inches  in  the  row. 

Eight  to  twelve  seeds  should  be  planted  in  each  hill; 
thinning  when  all  danger  from  bugs  is  past,  summer 
varieties  to  three  or  four  plants  in  a  hill,  winter  sorts 
two  plants  to  a  hill.  If  planted  in  rows,  summer  sorts 
should  be  thinned  to  one  plant  every  eight  inches. 
Cultivation  should  be  thorough  and  weeds  kept  down. 

Harvest  and  extract  seed  after  the  manner  for  pump- 
kin. Summer  varieties  should  undergo  twenty-four 
to  forty-eight  hours'  fermentation,  similar  to  cucumbers; 
but  the  winter  varieties  must  not  be  fermented  at  all, 
the  course  for  these  being  precisely  like  that  described 
for  white-seeded  pumpkins,  to  which  refer. 

Summer  squashes  are  washed  and  dried  in  the  same 
manner  as  directed  for  cucumber;  while  for  winter 
varieties  these  operations  are  same  as  for  white-seeded 
pumpkins. 

Market. — Squash  seed  is  sold  largely  by  the  trade, 
the  demand  running  principally  to  summer  varieties. 
It  is  produced  entirely  in  this  country,  mostly  in  the 


86  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

Middle  West.  Seed  yield  in  a  favorable  season  is  from 
200  to  300  pounds  per  acre;  prices  paid  to  growers  rule 
from  twelve  to  fifteen  cents  per  pound  for  summer 
varieties,  twenty  to  twenty-five  cents  for  winter  sorts. 

TOMATO. 

Cultivation  of  this  vegetable  for  seed  is  same  as  for 
table  use,  which  being  so  well  known,  general  directions 
for  growing  a  crop  are  deemed  superfluous  here.  But 
plants  intended  for  seed  are  usually  set  out  four  feet 
each  way,  and  good,  rich  soil  and  high  cultivation  are 
necessary. 

Stock  seed  should  be  saved  carefully,  not  only  from 
perfectly  ripe  fruit,  but  from  the  earliest,  largest  and 
best-formed  specimens,  which  besides  being  true  to 
variety  as  to  color  and  shape,  are  perfectly  smooth, 
solid  and  have  ripened  close  to  the  core.  Such  stock 
seed  has  a  market  value  of  $10  per  pound.  The  com- 
mercial seed  crop  should,  however,  while  growing,  be 
gone  over  and  rogued  carefully.  Finally  when  the 
ripe  tomatoes  are  gathered,  they  must  be  sorted,  and  all 
rejected  which  are  not  true  or  characteristic  of  the 
variety. 

To  be  in  prime,  marketable  condition,  commercial 
seed  must  be  bright  in  appearance;  and  to  have  such 
real  bright-looking  seed,  fruit  should  be  gathered  just 
ripe,  not  over  or  under  ripe,  and  must  not  remain  in 
fermentation  longer  than  is  absolutely  necessary  to 
loosen  the  gum  which  clings  to  the  seed.  Seed  saved 
from  over-ripe  fruit  is  harder  to  clean. 

Fermentation  and  Washing. — Fruit  is  first  ground 
up  in  a  machine  similar  to  the  one  used  for  grinding 
cucumbers,  the  wire  reel  taking  out  large  pieces  of  pulp. 
The  seed  with  its  remaining  pulp  is  then  poured  into 


TOMATO.  87 

a  tight  barrel  or  a  tank  to  undergo  fermentation. 
This  will  take  from  two  to  three  days,  depending  on 
ripeness  of  seed  as  well  as  temperature;  the  warmer  the 
temperature,  the  quicker  fermentation  takes  place.  A 
frequent  stirring  must  be  given  the  mass  while  fer- 
mentation is  going  on,  otherwise  seed  at  the  top  is 
liable  to  become  blackened. 

When  seed  has  been  properly  fermented,  it  may  be 
washed  in  a  vat,  similar  to  the  one  described  for  pepper 
and  after  the  same  manner. 

Some  growers  place  barrels  in  handy  rows  in  the 
field  where  picking  is  being  done.  On  top  of  one  of 
the  barrels  a  small,  portable  hand  mill  is  set  for  grind- 
ing the  fruit.  The  pickers  empty  their  buckets  in  the 
mill,  while  one  person  does  the  grinding.  When  a  barrel 
is  about  three-fourths  full,  the  mill  which  may  easily  be 
carried  by  one  man,  is  removed  to  the  next  barrel,  and 
so  on  until  picking  is  completed.  The  barrels  are  then 
hauled  on  a  sled  or  a  wagon  to  a  shed  or  some  shel- 
tered place  convenient  to  water,  where  fermentation 
of  the  ground  pulp  is  allowed  to  take  place  in  the  bar- 
rels. It  is  contended  that  fermentation  is  much  better 
done  in  a  smaller  mass  in  barrels  than  in  troughs. 
However,  some  larger  growers  use  a  trough  which  is 
made  about  20  feet  long,  3  feet  wide,  1|  feet  deep, 
placed  on  a  platform  raised  several  feet  from  the  ground. 
One  grower,  whose  crop  is  grown  on  about  100  acres, 
uses  ten  of  such  troughs,  having  them  placed  side  by 
side,  under  shelter,  near  the  water  supply.  A  gateway 
is  made  at  the  end  of  each  trough  to  let  out  the  pulp 
when  it  is  to  be  washed.  The  tomatoes  are  hauled  in 
wagons  from  the  fields  to  the  troughs,  the  fruit  being 
then  ground  in  a  hand  mill  set  on  top  of  a  trough.  The 
washing  tank  of  the  growers  in  question  is  made  4  feet 


88  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

long,  2  feet  wide,  2  feet  deep,  inside  measure.  It  is 
placed  in  position  convenient  to  the  barrels,  or  set  at  the 
gateway  end  of  a  trough,  and  is  rilled  with  water  (the 
large  grower  above-mentioned  pumps  water  into  his 
tank  by  horse-power) .  A  box  sieve  of  six  meshes  to 
the  inch  is  then  placed  inside  the  tank.  This  is  3  feet 
long,  18  inches  wide,  8  inches  deep,  with  a  pair  of  han- 
dles at  each  end.  These  form  a  rest  for  the  sieve  at  the 
top  of  the  tank,  while  the  bottom  of  the  sieve  remains 
under  the  water.  The  fermented  pulp  is  poured  into 
the  sieve  from  a  barrel,  one  or  two  bucketfuls  at  a  time 
or  a  like  quantity  is  allowed  to  run  in  from  the  end 
gate  of  the  trough.  Two  persons  operate  the  sieve, 
one  at  each  end,  and  by  gently  shaking  the  sieve-box 
up  and  down  in  the  water,  the  pulp  is  washed;  the 
seed  passes  through  the  meshes  of  the  sieve  and  sinks 
to  the  bottom  of  the  tank,  while  the  pulp  that  remains 
in  the  sieve-box  is  emptied  out.  The  sieve-box  is 
then  refilled  from  the  barrel  or  tank  and  the  operation 
is  repeated  as  before.  When  the  water  in  the  tank 
becomes  too  red  and  slimy  from  the  washing,  it  is 
drawn  out  through  a  tap  at  the  end  of  the  tank,  and 
the  tank  is  refilled  with  clean  water.  Seed  is  scooped 
out  of  the  tank  into  a  medium-sized  barrel,  and  is  then 
rinsed  in  the  same  barrel  with  clean  water.  The  fine, 
slimy  pulp  will  float  on  top,  and  by  tilting  the  barrel 
it  is  poured  out.  Fresh  water  is  poured  in  and  the 
rinsing  is  repeated  until  seed  is  thoroughly  clean,  when 
it  is  taken  out  and  dried.  When  there  is  a  stream 
of  running  water  accessible,  seed  may  be  rinsed  in  a 
long  trough,  say  150  or  more  feet  in  length  fitted  with 
a  sieve  its  entire  length;  the  slowly  running  water  will 
perform  the  operation  of  rinsing,  carrying  off  the  re- 
maining pulp  and  slime,  while  the  seed  sinks  through 
the  sieve  to  the  bottom  of  the  trough. 


TOMATO— TURNIP.  89 

Drying. — After  being  rinsed  clean,  seed  is  taken  up 
in  small  quantities,  squeezed  or  pressed  dry,  and  then 
spread  either  on  wooden  trays  or  on  screens  or  drying 
frames  of  similar  material  and  dimensions  to  the  frames 
described  for  drying  cucumber.  These  trays  or  screens 
are  set  in  the  sun  and  air  to  allow  seed  to  dry.  A  clear, 
dry  day  is  chosen,  so  as  to  give  seed  as  much  drying 
as  possible  before  night. 

The  screens  are  placed  under  shelter  over  night  and 
set  in  the  sun  again  the  following  day;  which  is  con- 
tinued until  seed  has  become  thoroughly  dry.  While 
drying,  stir  and  turn  seed  frequently.  From  the 
screens,  seed  is  spread  thinly  on  the  drying  room  floor, 
and  there  allowed  to  remain  till  it  is  perfectly  dry;  after 
which  before  storing  it  is  cleaned  in  the  fan  mill. 

Market. — The  seed  trade  at  present  handles  in  the 
aggregate  upwards  of  250,000  pounds  of  tomato  seed 
yearly,  it  being  sold  largely  to  canners  and  to  truck 
farmers. 

It  is  all  produced  in  this  country  by  growers  scattered 
from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific.  In  a  favorable  season, 
200  to  300  pounds  of  seed  are  produced  to  the  acre; 
average  prices  paid  to  growers  range  from  forty-five 
to  sixty  cents  per  pound,  according  to  variety. 

TURNIP. 

Any  kind  of  mellow,  fertile  soil,  from  a  light,  sandy 
loam,  to  a  heavy  clay  is  adapted  for  a  crop  of  turnip 
seed;  that  which  was  fertilized  for  a  preceding  crop  is 
better  than  applying  stable  manure  at  time  of  sowing, 
as  by  the  latter  course  the  crop  is  liable  to  be  worm- 
eaten. 

If  it  be  necessary  to  use  a  fertilizer,  it  is  advised  to 
apply  wood  ashes,  bone  meal,  or  super-phosphate. 


90  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

Ground  should  be  well  ploughed  and  harrowed.  In 
the  Northern  States  sowing  for  turnip  should  be  made 
the  latter  end  of  summer;  ruta  baga  at  least  a  month 
earlier,  say  July  15th  to  20th;  both  in  drills  two  feet 
apart,  thinning  to  six  inches  apart.  This  is  the  course 
when  the  roots  are  taken  up  in  the  autumn  and  stored 
in  pits  or  silos  over  winter. 

In  Europe,  the  practice  is  to  sow  in  August,  and 
toward  the  end  of  October  the  earth  is  ploughed  be- 
tween the  rows  and  thrown  over  the  plants;  no  other 
protection  is  deemed  necessary;  the  following  spring 
the  growths  produce  seed  stems.  Confidence  is  there 
reposed  in  the  stock  seed;  very  little  roguing  being 
done.  This  practice  of  wintering  over  without  taking 
up  the  roots  is  also  the  method  in  Washington  and 
other  warm  parts  of  the  United  States. 

In  colder  sections  like  New  England  and  the  Middle 
States,  the  roots  are  dug  up  about  the  middle  of  No- 
vember and  carefully  sorted,  only  the  finest  roots,  true  to 
variety  being  selected.  These  are  then  carefully  topped 
so  as  not  to  cut  away  the  heart  or  seed  germ,  and  are 
stored  over  winter  in  pits  or  silos.  The  latter  may  be 
made  as  long  as  needed,  say  100  feet  or  more;  in  width 
3  feet,  in  depth  1  foot.  The  pit  is  filled  to  the  level  of 
the  ground,  and  a  covering  is  given  of  4  inches  of  straw, 
over  which  is  then  thrown  8  inches  of  earth,  this  being 
ridged  up  firmly  to  turn  off  water.  Early  in  spring 
these  roots  are  set  out  in  rows  three  feet  apart,  fifteen 
inches  in  the  row;  the  earth  is  pressed  firmly  about  the 
tap  root,  and  the  whole  well  covered,  allowing  the 
sprouts  to  be  above  the  ground.  The  crop  should  be 
well  cultivated  and  kept  free  from  weeds. 

In  England,  to  produce  stock  seed,  the  custom  is  to 
dig  up  the  mature  turnips  in  the  fall,  and  after  care- 


TURNIP.  91 

fully  sorting  them,  to  store  them  over  winter  stacked 
up  in  the  open  and  banked  with  straw  for  protection; 
or  they  are  buried  in  pits. 

When  roots  are  to  be  left  in  the  field  over  winter,  the 
rows  when  seed  is  sown  should  be  made  as  directed  for 
spring  planting  of  roots,  viz.,  three  feet  apart,  plants 
standing  fifteen  inches  in  the  row. 

No  two  varieties  should  be  grown  near  each  other, 
nor  should  ruta  baga  be  raised  in  the  vicinity  of  cab- 
bage; if  permitted  mixture  in  the  crop  will  result. 

On  the  Northern  Atlantic  slope,  harvest  occurs  from 
June  25th  to  July  10th.  It  is  done  when  bulk  of  the 
crop  is  ripe,  known  by  the  pods  becoming  dry. 

Owing  to  the  loss  sustained  when  cutting  is  done 
with  a  machine,  by  seed  pods  bursting  and  spilling 
seed,  the  work  is  better  done  by  hand,  and  that  care- 
fully, with  a  reaping  hook. 

The  stalks  are  gathered  into  small  heaps,  the  heads 
laid  one  way.  They  are  left  to  remain  in  the  field  for 
a  week  or  so,  to  become  dry.  A  cloth  to  catch  loose 
seed  should  be  placed  in  the  wagon  used  for  hauling 
to  the  barn. 

Threshing  may  be  done  either  with  a  flail  or  the 
threshing  machine.  Before  using  the  latter,  it  should 
be  examined  to  see  if  it  is  free  from  seed  which  may 
have  lodged  in  cracks,  shelves,  etc,,  from  previous 
crops.  Clean  by  running  through  the  fan  mill. 

Market. — The  total  annual  consumption  of  turnip 
seed  by  the  American  seed  trade  will  approximate 
2,000,000  pounds.  The  greater  portion  of  this  is  im- 
ported from  Europe,  mostly  from  England;  the  re- 
mainder is  grown  in  the  United  States,  and  in  quality 
is  equal  to  the  imported.  This  home-grown  seed  is  pro- 
duced mostly  in  New  England  and  the  Middle  States, 
in  Eastern  Virginia  and  in  Eastern  Washington. 


U2  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

Seven  Top  and  kindred  sorts  are  nearly  all  grown  in 
the  Southern  States,  seed  being  produced  there  cheaper 
than  elsewhere  and  is  first-class  in  quality. 

In  a  favorable  season,  from  1,000  to  1,200  pounds  of 
turnip  seed  are  an  average  yield  per  acre;  ruta  baga 
is  somewhat  more,  ranging  from  1,200  to  1,500  pounds. 
Of 'course,  there  have  been  exceptionally  greater  yields, 
a  crop  of  turnip  having  been  produced  in  Nebraska  of 
about  2,000  pounds  per  acre. 

European  seed  is  laid  down  in  New  York,  duty  in- 
cluded, at  about  ten  cents  per  pound. 


HERB  AND  FLOWER  SEEDS. 


The  general  directions  given  in  the  preceding  pages 
for  growing  commercial  or  field  crops  of  seed  of  the 
different  varieties  of  vegetables,  as  well  as  for  raising 
choice  stock  seed,  will  also  apply  to  the  production  of 
all  herb  and  flower  seeds.  The  operation  is  always  to 
be  governed  by  the  character  or  nature  of  the  variety 
and  extent  of  crop  proposed  to  be  grown. 

After  all,  the  process  of  saving  seeds  is  simple  and 
natural.  It  is  merely  that  to  obtain  the  finest  seeds 
which  shall  insure  the  most  satisfactory  results,  you 
should  save  seeds  only  from  ideal  specimen  plants,  that 
is,  from  plants  which  produce  only  perfect  flowers  and 
possess  all  the  characters  you  would  like  to  see  in  the 
offspring.  Namely,  all  the  true  attributes  of  the  vari- 
ety inclusive  of  a  robust  frame  or  stalk,  and  clean, 
healthy  foliage. 

In  addition,  if  it  is  desired  to  save  a  few  strictly 
choice  seeds,  then  only  the  first  or  earliest  perfect  flow- 
ers which  develop  on  the  ideal  plant  chosen  must  be 
allowed  to  go  to  seed,  and  this  plant  should  be  covered 
with  mosquito  netting  to  prevent  cross-fertilizing  with 
inferior  plants  which  may  be  growing  nearby. 

In  saving  seed  on  a  small  scale,  the  selected  plants 
may  be  marked  either  with  a  wooden  label  or  a  stake 
driven  alongside,  and  it  is  better  to  tie  all  such  plants 
to  stakes  for  support. 

In  cases  where  the  character  of  the  variety  be  such 
(93) 


94  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

that  seed  will  be  likely  to  spill  or  shell  out  in  course  of 
ripening,  cloths  or  sheets  of  heavy  paper  may  be 
spread  under  the  plants  close  to  the  stem.  In  the  fore- 
noon after  the  dew  is  off,  and  at  intervals  during  the 
day,  shake  plants  well  to  loosen  seed  and  cause  it  to 
drop  on  the  cloth  or  paper  beneath.  This  seed  may  be 
removed  in  the  evening,  and  the  paper  or  cloth  re- 
placed in  the  morning. 

Cleaning  may  be  performed  with  a  hand-sieve  of 
suitable  mesh,  or  by  using,  if  one  be  at  hand,  a  seed- 
cleaner,  of  which  there  is  a  special  small  size  made  for 
flower  seeds. 

Market. — Every  American  is  a  lover  of  flowers,  and 
every  American  home  having  a  piece  of  ground,  no 
matter  how  small,  is  sure  to  have  its  flower  bed;  the 
vegetable  garden  may  go,  but  there  must  be  flowers. 

As  may  be  imagined,  there  is  an  extensive  trade  in 
America  for  flower  seeds,  it  amounting  in  the  country 
at  large  to  many  millions  of  packets  annually. 

The  demand  for  home  gardens  runs  principally  to 
annuals,  those  varieties  which  flower  the  first  year  from 
seed  and  then  perish.  The  purchases  by  florists,  who 
are  usually  heavy  buyers,  consist  mostly  of  the  choicer 
biennial  and  perennial  sorts.  Therefore,  all  grades  and 
kinds  of  flower  seeds  are  carried  in  stock  by  seedsmen 
everywhere. 

The  industry  of  flower  seed  growing  in  America 
while  it  is  improving  fast,  is  not  yet  at  the  highest  ad- 
vanced stage.  In  fact,  at  this  time  Europe  produces 
the  finest  flower  seeds  in  the  world,  and  the  American 
seed  trade  is  consequently  obliged  to  depend  at  present 
almost  entirely  on  that  source  for  the  choicest  seeds  of 
the  most  approved  varieties. 

There  is  nothing  to  be  wondered  at  as  regards  this 


HERB   AND   FLOWER   SEEDS.  95 

European  success  in  the  production  of  high-grade  flower 
and  other  seeds.  It  is  not  owing  to  superiority  in  cli- 
mate or  soil,  inasmuch  as  we  have  as  good,  if  not  better, 
in  our  own  country;  but  it  is  due  rather  to  careful 
methods  in  growing,  i.  e. ,  the  most  particular  attention 
that  is  given  in  Europe  to  cultivation,  to  keeping  varie- 
ties pure  by  selection  and  separation,  and  to  an  unceas- 
ing endeavor  to  improve  varieties.  In  other  words, 
these  European  growers,  besides  being  trained  special- 
ists in  their  respective  lines,  are  methodical  and  de- 
liberate in  performance,  conscientious  and  careful  to 
the  superlative  degree;  points  which  will  always  place 
seed  growers  of  any  country  in  the  front  rank.  And  if 
these  same  careful  practices  of  the  Europeans  were  gen- 
erally adopted  in  the  United  States,  it  should  be  only  a 
question  of  time  when  importations  here  would  cease 
entirely. 

Production  in  the  United  States.— Seeds  of  cer- 
tain special  varieties  of  flowers  are  grown  commercially, 
on  a  small  scale,  in  some  of  the  Eastern  States,  but 
California  produces  about  all  the  flower  seeds  grown  in 
the  United  States.  While  in  a  certain  sense  this  latter 
production  is  quite  large,  it  is  confined  mostly  to  coarser 
strains  of  popular  varieties  which,  however,  are  the 
equal  of  European  seeds  of  the  same  class. 

In  California,  about  five  hundred  acres  are  devoted 
to  flowering  sweet  peas  alone,  the  total  annual  produc- 
tion of  same  approximating  350,000  pounds  or  about 
seven  hundred  pounds  per  acre,  at  prices  to  the  grower 
of  eight  to  ten  cents  per  pound.  In  the  same  State, 
flowering  nasturtiums  yield  about  300  pounds  per  acre, 
at  prices  which  rule  from  25  to  30  cents  per  pound  to 
the  grower;  asters  about  40  pounds  per  acre,  at  $2.50 
to  $5.00  per  pound  to  the  grower. 


96  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

Besides  in  California,  flowers  also  grow  to  great  per- 
fection in  Oregon,  Washington,  Idaho,  Arizona,  and  in 
fact  in  the  entire  Pacific  coast  section. 

BULBS. 

Bulbs  to  be  merchantable  should  be  full-grown,  not 
too  young,  and  must  be  large  and  handsome  in  size. 
Such,  besides  being  sure  to  bloom,  generally  produce 
the  finest  flowers  in  the  greatest  profusion.  A  bulb 
will  flower  poorly  or  not  at  all,  if  it  be  too  young  or 
not  fully  matured;  and  it  will  rot  quickly,  or  not  stand 
transportation  if  not  properly  cured. 

Most  varieties  require  at  least  three  seasons  from  off- 
sets or  bulblets  before  they  will  be  sufficient^  matured 
to  be  marketable.  For  illustration,  take  the  hyacinth. 
In  its  case,  as  described  hereafter  under  hyacinth,  from 
four  to  six  seasons  of  growth  are  required  to  produce 
the  finest  bulbs,  which  should  measure  from  8  to  10 
inches  in  circumference.  The  particular  and  minute 
care  bestowed  by  the  Hollanders  in  the  production  of 
hyacinth  and  other  bulbs  is  recommended  to  all  who 
engage  in  bulb-growing. 

At  present,  practically  all  the  fall  planting  bulbs 
used  in  America,  as  well  as  in  other  parts  of  the  world, 
are  grown  in  Holland,  which  country  for  many  genera- 
tions has  enjoyed  a  monopoly  of  the  business.  These 
bulbs  include  the  hyacinth,  tulip,  narcissus,  crocus, 
iris,  etc. ,  of  which  the  annual  importation  in  our  coun- 
try totals  many  tens  of  thousands  of  dollars.  The  Hol- 
land bulb  land  consists  of  about  5,000  acres,  valued  at 
$3,000  to  $4,000  per  acre.  Nevertheless,  this  expensive 
land  earns  a  net  annual  profit  of  16  per  cent,  from  the 
growing  of  bulbs.  The  nearest  to  the  Holland  soil  as 
well  as  the  climate,  as  yet  discovered  in  the  United 


BULBS.  97 

States,  is  in  northwest  Washington  along  the  Puget 
Sound.  Some  experiments  in  bulb-growing  which  have 
been  made  in  that  locality,  have  shown  that  all  the 
different  varieties  grow  there  in  perfection,  and  that  as 
fine  bulbs  can  be  produced  there  as  are  grown  in  Hol- 
land. Besides  which  the  soil  is  virgin  and  healthy, 
and  can  be  bought  cheaply  at  the  present  time,  from 
810  to  $100  per  acre,  according  to  location.  A  splendid 
opportunity  is  here  presented  for  the  development  of 
the  bulb  industry  in  America  on  an  extensive  scale. 

AMARYLLIS. 

Large  roots  are  propagated  from  offsets,  which  with 
the  parent  root  entire  are  preserved  over  winter  in  a 
cellar,  being  covered  with  sand.  These  are  separated 
and  planted  out  in  rich  soil  next  spring  when  danger 
from  frost  is  over. 

ANEMONE. 

This  variety  delights  in  a  cool  climate  for  its  proper 
development.  As  soon  as  the  tops  die  down  the  tubers 
should  be  taken  up  and  allowed  to  become  dry,  and 
then  be  stored  in  a  dry  room  free  from  frost. 

BEGONIA. 

After  the  first  light  frost,  tubers  should  be  lifted  and 
stored  in  a  cellar.  They  should  be  packed  in  dry  earth 
or  sand,  as  exposure  to  the  air  for  too  long  a  time  will 
injure  their  vitality. 

CALADIUM  ESCULENTUM. 

Tubers  increase  in  size  annually  by  new  growth. 
After  frost  has  killed  the  foliage,  the  roots  should  be 
taken  up  and  stored  in  a  cellar  or  in  a  dry  room  free 
from  frost;  from  North  Carolina  southward  the  tubers 

7 


98  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

are  hardy  enough  to  withstand  the  winter  in  the  open 
ground  with  the  beds  covered  with  leaves  or  litter. 

CANNA. 

In  the  Northern  States,  the  entire  clump  of  roots  is 
taken  up  in  the  fall  after  frost  has  killed  the  tops; 
store  them  in  a  cellar  with  all  the  earth  that  adheres  to 
them,  and  divide  them  in  spring,  taking  care  when 
replanting  to  have  one  or  two  buds  to  each  piece  of 
root.  From  North  Carolina  southward  cannas  winter 
better  where  they  grew  if  the  tops  are  cut  and  the  beds 
covered  with  leaves  or  litter. 

CONVALLARIA — LILY  OF  THE  VALLEY. 

What  are  commercially  known  as  pips  are  the  single 
crowns  which  are  detached  from  the  clumps  and  grown 
separately  for  three  seasons  before  they  become  market- 
able. 

DAHLIA. 

In  the  Northern  States  the  tubers  are  taken  up  about 
a  week  after  frost  has  killed  the  tops  and  before  the 
ground  has  become  frozen,  and  stored  like  potatoes  in 
a  cellar  or  in  a  dry  room  free  from  frost. 

What  are  termed  dry  pot  roots  are  raised  from  cuttings 
in  three-inch  pots  placed  on  ashes  in  a  frame  to  stop  the 
roots  from  penetrating  the  soil,  being  grown  in  the  sum- 
mer and  allowed  to  dry  off  in  autumn.  They  are  then 
taken  out  of  the  pots  and  stored  away  like  large  tubers. 
These  dry  pot  roots  make  plants  fully  equal  to  those 
grown  from  large  tubers. 

FREESIA. 

After  flowering,  the  bulbs  should  be  allowed  to  ripen 
naturally  in  the  soil;  they  are  then  taken  up  and  dried. 
They  should  be  stored  in  a  dry  room. 


BULBS.  99 

GALANTHUS — SNOW  DROP. 

The  dried  bulbs  do  not  stand  being  kept  out  of  the 
ground  too  long;  keep  in  a  dry  room. 

GLADIOLUS. 

Two  seasons  are  required  to  produce  commercial  or 
free  flowering  bulbs  from  the  small  bulblets  that  form 
at  the  base  of  the  bulb.  These  bulblets  are  sown  the 
next  spring  thickly  in  drills,  covered  with  half  an  inch 
of  soil.  They  are  taken  up  about  the  middle  of  Septem- 
ber, or  as  soon  as  the  leaves  begin  to  wither.  The  tops 
are  cut  close  to  the  corm,  and  after  the  bulbs  are  dried 
in  a  shed,  they  are  stored  away  in  shallow  crates  in  a 
cellar,  and  are  replanted  the  following  spring  to  undergo 
another  season's  growth;  from  North  Carolina  south- 
ward they  may  remain  over  winter  in  the  ground  where 
they  grew,  protected  with  a  covering  of  litter. 

HYACIXTH. 

From  the  small  offsets  four  to  six  years  are  required 
to  produce  marketable  bulbs.  The  hyacinth  is  not 
grown  in  the  same  soil  oftener  than  once  every  four 
years.  In  Holland,  where  the  finest  bulbs  the  world 
produces  are  raised,  the  soil  is  carefully  prepared,  fine 
and  light,  entirely  free  from  stone,  gravel  and  stiff  soil. 
The  only  manure  used  is  from  the  cow  stable,  unmixed 
with  straw  or  anything  else.  During  winter  the  ground 
is  dug  two  or  three  feet  deep,  and  in  March  it  is  covered 
•with  three  inches  of  cow  manure,  afterwards  spaded  in 
a  foot  deep.  Vegetables  or  flowers  which  do  not  ex- 
haust the  soil  are  grown  on  it  during  the  summer.  In 
October,  the  soil  is  dug  two  feet  deep.  It  is  now 
divided  into  beds  about  5  feet  in  width,  which  are  care- 
fully raked  over  and  made  into  rows  a  foot  apart  and 


100  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

therein  the  bulbs  are  planted  about  six  inches  apart, 
being  covered  about  four  inches.  Smaller,  or  not  fully 
grown  bulbs,  are  planted  closer  together  and  not  cov- 
ered so  deeply.  The  beds  are  raked  and  kept  clear  of 
weeds,  and  about  December  1st,  or  before  winter  ap- 
pears, they  are  covered  with  the  reeds  which  grow 
numerously  along  the  canals  in  that  country.  First 
there  is  a  layer  of  old  reeds  which  were  used  the  year  be- 
fore, and  then  a  layer  of  new  reeds  to  the  depth  of  several 
inches,  the  whole  being  fastened  down  by  pegs.  Early 
in  March,  when  danger  from  frost  is  past,  the  covering 
is  removed  and  the  beds  arc  cleaned  and  then  raked. 
They  are  now  given  a  watering  of  cow  dung  and  water. 
The  beds  are  kept  free  from  weeds,  and  in  April  when 
blooming  takes  place,  the  flowers  are  examined  and 
impurities  removed.-  The  flowers  are  then  cut  off, 
so  as  to  throw  the  whole  vigor  of  the  plant  into  the 
bulb.  These  cut  blossoms  are  removed  from  the  beds, 
as  they  are  unsuitable  for  fertilizer  and  would  cause  rot 
in  the  bulbs. 

In  July  harvesting  takes  place.  The  leaves  are  cut 
off,  a  shuffle-hoe  being  used  for  the  purpose,  and  the 
bulbs  are  removed  with  the  hands.  They  are  next 
placed  in  trenches  and  covered  with  earth,  in  which 
they  are  allowed  to  remain  from  one  to  three  weeks  to 
ripen.  They  are  then  spread  thinly  in  storehouses  to 
dry.  Finally,  the  tops  are  cut  off  closely  to  the  bulb 
and  the  bulbs  are  cleaned  and  sorted. 

Overgrown  or  unshapely  bulbs  are  used  for  propagat- 
ing. These  are  selected  as  soon  as  the  bulbs  are  taken 
out  of  the  ground.  Three  deep  cross-cuts  are  made 
with  a  sharp  knife  in  the  bottom  of  each  bulb.  They 
are  planted  out,  bottom  upwards,  and  covered  with 
loose  soil.  In  two  or  three  weeks  the  cuts  open 


BULBS. 


ioi 


out  and  are  healed  up.  The  bulbs  are  then  taken  up 
and  spread  out  in  storehouses  till  October.  They  are 
now  planted  out,  and  when  taken  up  the  following 
summer  some  20  to  30  offsets  will  be  produced  on  what 
remains  of  the  parent-bulb.  These  bulblets  are  picked 
off  and,  after  being  given  a  rest,  are  planted  out  sepa- 
rately in  the  autumn  after  the  manner  for  large  bulbs. 
This  process  of  taking  up  in  July  and  giving  a  rest  till 
planting  time  in  October,  is  repeated  for  four  or  five 
years  till  the  bulbs  have  reached  a  commercial  size, 
which  is  8  to  10  inches  in  circumference. 
•  Propagating  is  also  done  by  selecting  strong,  healthy 
bulbs,  and  hollowing  out  the  bottom  of  the  bulb,  clear- 
ing away  the  center  to  a  point,  and  leaving  a  narrow 
rim.  This  will  produce  more  offsets,  but  they  will  be 
smaller  and  take  a  year  or  two  longer  to  attain  market- 
able size. 

IRIS. 

Propagated  by  offsets,  which  require  several  seasons 
to  produce  merchantable  bulbs. 

LILY. 

Propagated  from  the  small  bulbs  that  form  at  the 
base  of  the  stem.  These  are  taken  up  in  early  spring 
and  replanted  to  perfect  their  growth. 

MADEIRA    VINE. 

In  the  North,  roots  should  be  dug  up  in  the  fall  and 
stored  in  a  cellar;  south  of  Virginia  roots  may  remain 
in  the  ground  where  they  grew,  over  winter. 

PEONY. 

Increased  by  division,  the  tubers  being  separated  to 
have  one  eye  to  each.  If  the  divisions  are  planted 


102  ^  "THE   SEED-GROWER. 

in  autumn,  they  usually  flower  the  next  season,  but  if 
divided  and  set  out  in  spring,  they  rarely  flower  before 
the  following  year. 

KICHABDIA   OR   CALLA   LILY. 

This  calla  is  propagated  from  offsets.  In  California, 
the  plant  grows  out  of  doors  all  the  year  round.  In 
that  climate,  when  proper  attention  is  given  to  its  cul- 
ture, the  tops  are  cut  off  in  July,  within  a  couple  inches 
of  the  surface  of  the  ground,  after  which  the  plant  takes 
a  rest,  and  in  course  of  a  month  or  so  it  makes  a  fresh 
start,  renewing  its  growth  and  bloom.  The  larger  roots 
are  the  result  of  three  or  four  years'  growth,  plants  not 
being  disturbed  during  that  period. 

The  roots  are  usually  dug  in  June  and  July.  After 
which  the  tops  are  cut  off  close  to  the  bulb,  taking  care 
not  to  injure  the  centre  or  heart-germ.  The  roots  are 
then  trimmed  of  side  shoots  and  spread  thinly  on 
shallow  crates  or  trays  placed  in  a  shed  and  allowed 
thus  to  remain  for  several  weeks  till  considered  cured, 
or  dry  enough  for  shipment  to  a  distance. 

TIGRIDIA  OR  TIGER  FLOWER. 

Propagated  by  offsets  which  are  planted  in  spring. 
After  a  killing  frost  in  the  fall,  the  bulbs  are  lifted,  the 
tops  cut  off,  and  after  being  dried,  they  may  be  kept  in 
ventilated  boxes  in  a  cellar,  or  in  a  dry  room  safe  from 
frost,  or  they  may  be  hung  up  tied  in  bunches  with  the 
tops  left  on. 

TULIP. 

Propagated  from  offsets.  As  with  the  hyacinth,  the 
flowers  should  be  cut  as  soon  as  they  develop,  so  as  to 
throw  the  strength  of  the  plant  to  the  formation  of  the 
bulb.  This  will  also  mature  the  bulbs  quicker,  so  that 


ORIGINATING   NEW   VARIETIES.  103 

they  may  be  taken  up  and  dried  within  a  few  weeks 
after  the  flower  stems  are  cut.  The  bulbs  are  then 
replanted  in  October,  and  in  three  years  from  sets  they 
will  attain  marketable  size.  An  average  yield  is  about 
60,000  full-sized  bulbs  to  the  acre. 

TUBEROSE. 

This  is  a  great  industry  in  the  United  States,  the  pro- 
duction at  present  in  one  section  in  a  radius  of  twenty 
miles  around  Magnolia,  N.  C. ,  amounting  annually  to 
about  6,000,000  bulbs,  75  per  cent,  of  which  is  ex- 
ported to  Europe.  Propagation  is  by  offsets.  From 
North  Carolina  southward,  small  sets  will  make  large 
flowering  bulbs  in  one  season;  northward  it  requires 
two  seasons. 

The  ground  is  prepared  as  for  a  crop  of  potatoes. 
Planting  is  done  in  drills  30  inches  apart,  the  sets  being 
placed  4  inches  apart,  3  inches  below  the  surface.  The 
crop  must  be  cultivated  constantly.  After  frost,  the 
bulbs  are  lifted,  their  tops  cut  to  within  two  inches  of 
the  bulb,  and  they  are  then  placed  on  shelves  or  in 
trays  to  remain  four  to  eight  weeks  to  dry  or  cure.  On 
a  small  scale  the  roots  may  be  tied  in  bunches  and  hung 
upon  rafters  to  dry. 

ORIGINATING  NEW  VARIETIES. 

Possibilities  in  Plant- Breeding. —  Mankind  is 
awakening  to  a  fuller  realization  of  the  grand  possi- 
bilities of  wonderful  accomplishment  presented  in  the 
domain  of  plant-breeding,  or  the  amelioration  of  useful 
and  ornamental  types  of  plants. 

The  world  has  made  creditable  progress  in  this 
science  within  the  past  quarter  of  a  century,  but  the 
work  which  has  thus  far  been  accomplished,  represents 


104  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

nothing  like  what  may  be  expected  in  the  future,  now 
that  a  greater  public  interest  is  being  created  in  the 
subject  by  the  efforts  of  the  press,  the  publication  of 
text-books  on  the  science,  and  notably  by  the  special 
investigations  which  are  being  made  from  time  to  time 
under  governmental  supervision  by  experts  in  our 
national  Department  of  Agriculture. 

The  scope  afforded  by  nature  in  which  to  perform 
experiments  for  the  improvement  of  plant-structure  not 
only  takes  in  all  plants  at  present  under  cultivation, 
but  includes,  for  practical  purposes,  the  possible  subjec- 
tion, through  amelioration,  of  many  wild  species  now 
regarded  beyond  the  pale  of  utility. 

Qualities  Requisite  for  Success  in  Plant-Breed- 
ing.— In  the  practice  of  plant-breeding,  there  are 
especially  called  for  the  following  prime  requisites: 
patience,  persistence,  and  keenness  of  power  of  observa- 
tion. Having  these,  the  experimenter  will  find,  besides 
a  prospect  of  pecuniary  reward,  a  fascination  in  the 
work,  with  a  wholesome,  pleasant  relaxation  from  the 
monotony  that  usually  pertains  to  most  garden  and 
field  labor. 

Seed-Trade  Offers  Greatest  Stimulus  for  Pro- 
duction of  New  Varieties. — Plant-breeding  as  it 
relates  to  vegetables  and  flowers,  receives  its  greatest 
encouragement  and  stimulus  at  the  hands  of  the  seed- 
trade,  by  the  custom  which  prevails  in  that  business  of 
purchasing  the  privilege  of  introducing  a  new  variety. 
The  manner  in  which  this  is  done  is:  a  seedsman  pays 
the  highest  price  for  first  seed  of  the  new  variety,  or 
buys  up  or  contracts  for  the  entire  crop  produced  from 
the  first  seed;  either  of  which  constitutes  a  privilege  of 
introduction,  as  it  thereby  secures  market  control  of  the 
sale  of  seed  of  the  new  sort  for  the  time  being.  A 


ORIGINATING   NEW    VARIETIES.  105 

glance  over  the  average  seed  catalogue  will  show  to 
what  extent  this  offering  of  novelties  is  being  used  as  an 
advertising  factor  by  the  seed-trade  of  to-day.  To  be 
sure,  all  the  so-called  new  varieties  advertised  in  some 
catalogues  as  novelties  are  not  the  "real  thing,"  but 
these  are  readily  detected  and  become  known  to  the 
initiated  under  the  term  of  synonyms,  or  as  novelties 
manufactured  for  the  occasion  like  "  wooden  nutmegs." 

Production  of  a  New  Variety.— To  properly 
undertake  the  production  of  a  distinctly  new  sort,  be- 
sides breeding  for  only  one  thing  at  a  time,  there  must 
be  a  definite  aim  and  purpose  in  view.  In  other  words, 
there  must  be  established  in  the  mind  an  ideal  of  the 
plant  to  be  bred.  Merely  to  breed  something  new,  even 
if  it  be  freakish  or  possesses  no  merit,  must  not  be 
thought  of;  the  freak  black  lima  bean,  for  example. 
The  market  is  already  flooded  with  too  many  new 
things  of  no  account  that  possess  nothing  of  improve- 
ment (if  really  as  good)  over  previously  existing  sorts, 
but  which  cause  confusion,  annoyance  and  pecuniary 
loss. 

What  the  public  demands  is  something  better,  some- 
thing that  will  be  a  gain.  It  readily  accepts  a  new 
type  showing  superiority  over  an  older  sort  as  respects 
maturity,  form,  appearance,  size,  flavor,  endurance,  or 
productiveness,  but  not  otherwise. 

Methods. — There  are  two  processes  for  obtaining  im- 
provement in  variety,  namely,  selection  and  crossing. 

Selection,  the  simpler  process,  is  commonly  prac- 
ticed, and  has  been  used  to  breed  to  their  present 
forms  nearly  all  plants  now  under  cultivation. 

The  other,  crossing,  has  two  methods,  viz.,  (a) 
crossing  proper,  or  crossing  between  two  varieties 
that  are  closely  related,  or  between  plants  of  the  same 


106  THE    SEED-GROWER. 

variety;  (b)  hybridization,  or  crossing  between  two  dis- 
tinct species,  which  must  be  so  nearly  allied  as  to 
possess  an  affinity  for  each  other,  otherwise  a  cross  can- 
not be  effected. 

Selection. — Broadly  speaking,  selection  is  based  on 
the  natural  tendency  of  all  plants  (animals  too)  to  vary; 
these  variations  being  induced  chiefly  by  environment 
and  excess  of  food  supply.  Darwin  defines  it  as  l  i  the 
law  of  the  preservation  of  the  favorable  differences  and 
variations,  and  the  destruction  of  those  which  are  in- 
jurious." Another  writer,  Webber,  says:  "  It  consists 
in  the  skillful  selection  and  propagation  of  plants  show- 
ing desirable  variations. ' ' 

As  generally  practiced,  a  great  number  of  seedlings 
of  a  particular  variety  are  specially  grown  or  examina- 
tions are  made  of  different  fields  of  seedlings  of  the 
same  variety.  If  a  plant  is  found  in  a  lot  of  these 
seedlings  which  approaches  closely  to  the  ideal  of  the 
plant  pictured  in  the  mind,  that  plant  is  chosen  or 
selected,  and  its  seeds  saved. 

To  properly  do  this,  it  must  be  removed  to  a  spot 
away  from  other  plants  so  that  it  may  seed  by  itself,  or 
all  the  other  seedlings  should  be  destroyed.  The  seeds 
saved  are  sown  the  next  season,  and  in  the  numerous 
seedlings  which  will  result,  there  may  be  found  a 
plant  bearing  a  still  stronger  resemblance  to  the  ideal 
character  sought  for.  As  before,  this  particular  plant 
is  selected,  its  seed  saved  and  sown  the  following  sea- 
son. Selection  is  then  made  from  its  seedlings  of  an 
improvement  that  may  show  over  the  previous  season's 
plant.  Seeds  are  saved,  and  again  and  again,  if  neces- 
sary, the  operation  is  repeated,  till  at  last  patience  and 
persistence  are  rewarded  and  the  ideal  plant  is  bred. 

It  is  perceived  that  the  success  of  the  operation  was 


ORIGINATING    NEW   VARIETIES.  107 

not  owing  so  much  to  the  seedling  which  was  first 
chosen  as  it  was  to  the  subsequent  selections  faithfully 
persisted  in. 

Some  Modern  Examples  of  Plant  Improvement 
by  Selection. — All  of  the  present  fine  races  of  tomato 
were  produced  by  A.  W.  Livingston  through  selection. 
The  first  variety  produced  (introduced  in  1870)  which 
he  named  the  Paragon,  was  discovered  by  him  in  a 
field  of  large  red  tomato,  a  variety  of  all  sorts  of  shapes 
and  sizes,  except  that  it  was  not  smooth.  Livingston 
observed  that  this  plant  was  unlike  any  other  in  the 
lot.  It  had  distinct  characteristics,  such  as  heavy 
foliage,  great  vigor  and  prolificness,  with  uniformity  of 
shape,  and  smoothness  of  the  fruit.  But  while  it  had 
all  of  these  desirable  qualities,  the  fruit  was  not  any 
larger  than  the  kind  used  for  preserving,  and  was  there- 
fore too  small  to  be  of  general  market  value. 

Basing  his  judgment  on  the  principle  of  unity  of  the 
character  of  the  individual,  he  selected  this  plant  and 
saved  its  seed.  Selections  were  made  from  the  seed- 
lings, and  this  process  of  selecting  and  saving  seed  only 
from  the  plant  which  showed  an  increase  in  the  size  of 
the  fruit,  in  addition  to  its  characteristics,  was  kept  up 
carefully  for  five  years.  By  the  end  of  that  time  he 
had  succeeded  in  enlarging  the  size  of  the  fruit  con- 
siderably, and  it  was  then  considered  worthy  of  intro- 
duction. 

This  was  Livingston's  first  attempt  at  plant-breeding, 
and  his  success  with  it  led  him  to  devote  his  attention 
to  improving  the  tomato  family  generally.  In  the 
course  of  twenty  or  more  subsequent  years,  he  pro- 
duced through  selection  a  score  or  more  of  new  types 
of  tomato,  comprising  the  best  of  what  are  now  in 
cultivation. 


108  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

In  Europe,  the  beet-sugar  industry  has  been  vastly 
promoted  by  carefulness  through  selection  in  breeding 
varieties  that  yield  the  greatest  percentage  of  sugar. 
As  performed,  a  test  is  made  of  the  beet  roots  selected 
for  seed  by  cutting  out  a  small  cylinder  of  the  flesh, 
and  ascertaining  by  polarization  the  richness  of  sugar 
content.  The  doing  of  this  does  not  injure  the  root  for 
planting. 

The  care  that  is  taken  in  this  testing  may  be  imagined 
when  it  is  said  that  in  one  season  a  firm  in  Europe 
tested  nearly  three  million  roots,  from  which  number 
about  three  thousand  were  selected  for  seed-growing 
purposes,  or  about  one  root  out  of  every  one  thousand 
tested. 

The  Blanche  Ferry  sweet  pea  was  discovered  some 
years  ago  by  a  lady  in  northern  New  York  in  her  gar- 
den. She  had  noticed  a  particularly  bright-colored 
flower  in  a  row  of  the  old  "Painted  Lady."  This  plant 
she  selected  and  carefully  saved  its  seeds,  which  were 
sown  next  year.  For  about  ten  successive  years  she 
continued  to  grow  only  this  variety  in  her  little  garden, 
always  saving  her  seed  from  the  best  plants.  Its  beauty 
was  finally  brought  to  the  attention  of  a  certain  seeds- 
man, who  purchased  a  quantity  of  the  seeds  from  which 
a  crop  was  produced,  and  the  variety  was  then  intro- 
duced by  him  to  the  world  as  the  Blanche  Ferry. 

Darwin  relates  of  selection,  that  Williamson,  after 
sowing,  during  several  years,  seeds  of  Anemone  Cor- 
onaria,  found  a  plant  with  one  additional  petal.  He 
saved  the  seeds  of  this  and  by  persevering  in  the  same 
course,  obtained  several  varieties  with  six  or  seven  rows 
of  petals.  The  single  Scotch  rose  was  doubled,  and 
yielded  eight  good  varieties  in  nine  or  ten  years.  The 
Canterbury  Bell  was  doubled  by  careful  selection  in 
four  generations. 


ORIGINATING   NEW    VARIETIES.  109 

Webber,  dwelling  on  the  improvement  in  earliness 
that  has  been  accomplished  with  plants  by  selection, 
says:  "The  decided  shortening  of  the  period  required 
for  Sea  Island  cotton  to  mature,  has  fitted  it  for  culti- 
vation in  certain  portions  of  the  United  States,  in  which 
it  is  now  an  important  crop/' 

The  several  varieties  of  bush  lima  beans  now  in  gen- 
eral cultivation  were  discovered  by  accident,  their  origin 
being  due  to  sport.  Burpee's  bush  lima  was  found  as 
a  single  plant  by  Asa  Palmer,  of  Kennett  Square,  Pa., 
growing  in  a  field  of  large  white  pole  limas.  It  was 
about  ten  inches  high,  and  bore  three  pods,  each  con- 
taining one  seed.  Saving  these  seeds,  he  planted  them 
the  following  year.  Two  of  the  seedlings  were  dwarf 
like  their  parent,  the  other  had  a  tendency  to  climb. 
By  destroying  all  plants  in  succeeding  crops  for  several 
years  which  manifested  the  climbing  habit,  he  finally 
obtained  a  fixed  type  of  bush  lima.  It  was  then 
brought  to  the  attention  of  Burpee,  the  seedsman,  who, 
recognizing  its  great  merit,  was  the  first  to  introduce  it 
to  the  public. 

Henderson's  bush  lima  was  found  by  a  colored  man 
not  long  after  the  close  of  the  Civil  War  growing  along 
a  roadside  in  Virginia.  Its  seed  was  saved,  and  seed 
also  saved  from  subsequent  plants  so  that  in  time  its 
cultivation  spread  and  it  became  generally  planted  in 
Virginia  private  gardens.  Henderson,  the  seedsman, 
had  his  attention  called  to  it,  and  in  1889  it  was  intro- 
duced by  him  to  the  country  at  large. 

Dreer's  or  Thorburn's  bush  lima  was  originally  a 
single  plant,  discovered  by  J.  W.  Kumerle,  of  Newark, 
New  Jersej^,  growing  in  his  garden  in  a  patch  of  Chal- 
lenger pole  lima.  He  saved  the  seed  and  cultivated 
the  variety  until  it  became  fixed. 


11.0  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

One  of  the  finest  additions  to  flowering  plants  in 
modern  times  is  the  Shirley  poppy,  which  was  bred  by 
Rev.  W.  Hicks,  Secretary  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  in  England.  In  1880  he  noticed  in  a  waste 
corner  of  his  garden  a  patch  of  the  common  wild  field 
poppy,  one  solitary  flower  of  which  had  a  very  narrow 
edge  of  white.  This  one  flower  he  marked  and  saved 
the  seed  of  it  alone.  Next  year,  out  of  perhaps  two 
hundred  plants,  he  had  four  or  five  on  which  all  the 
flowers  were  edged.  The  best  of  these  were  marked 
and  the  seed  saved,  and  so  on  for  several  years,  the 
flowers  all  the  while  getting  a  larger  infusion  of  white 
to  tone  down  the  red  until  they  arrived  at  quite  pale 
pink  and  one  plant  absolutely  pure  white.  He  then 
set  himself  to  change  the  black  central  portions  of  the 
flowers  from  black  to  yellow  or  white,  and  at  last 
secured  a  fixed  strain  with  petals  varying  in  color  from 
the  brightest  scarlet  to  pure  white,  with  all  shades  of 
pink  between,  and  all  varieties  of  flakes  and  edged 
flowers  also,  but  all  having  yellow  or  white  stamens, 
anthers  and  pollen  and  a  white  base. 

Burbank,  the  California  plant-breeder,  practicing  on 
the  line  of  selection,  has  largely  increased  the  size  of 
the  common  field  daisy,  the  geranium  and  other  flowers. 
One  of  his  latest  productions  is  a  red  California  poppy. 
In  the  wild  flower  the  color  is  yellow  or  orange.  Hav- 
ing observed  a  single  plant  which  bore  flowers  of  orange 
streaked  with  red,  he  saved  its  seeds,  and  after  a  course 
of  years  of  careful  selection,  similar  to  that  described  of 
Hicks  and  his  poppy,  Burbank  has  finally  succeeded  in 
obtaining  a  fixed  variety  bearing  entirely  red  flowers. 

To  Henry  Eckford,  of  Wem,  Shropshire,  England, 
the  world  is  indebted  for  the  great  improvement  in  the 
flowers  of  sweet  peas,  made  by  him  within  the  past 


ORIGINATING    NEW    VARIETIES.  Ill 

quarter  of  a  century.  It  also  owes  a  great  deal  to 
LeMoyne  for  improvements  in  the  gladiolus;  to  Crozy, 
for  his  improvements  in  cannas  and  to  Bruant  for  im- 
provements in  pelargoniums. 

The  foregoing  cases,  which  have  been  enumerated  out 
of  many  others  equally  as  interesting,  will  suffice  to 
illustrate  the  progress  being  made  in  plant  improvement. 
There  are  other  grand  opportunities  surrounding  us 
everywhere.  In  fact,  the  possibilities  are  limitless,  as, 
owing  to  the  tendency  of  nature  to  vary  and  modify, 
any  sort  of  plant  may  be  improved  or  changed  in  its 
character  either  as  to  shape  or  color  of  any  of  its  parts, 
pod  or  root,  flower  or  stem,  the  acidity  or  flavor  of  the 
seeds,  flesh  or  fruit,  sugar  content  of  the  root  (as  in 
beet),  protein  content  (as  in  corn  and  wheat),  character 
of  the  staple,  length,  strength,  texture  (as  in  cotton),  etc. 

Crossing. — Through  crossing,  new  types  are  secured 
of  greatly  differing  allied  species  or  races.  By  its 
means,  the  undesirable  characters  of  two  distinct  varie- 
ties may  be  entirely  gotten  rid  of,  while  at  the  same 
time  all  the  desirable  points  and  features  of  both  are 
joined  in  combination. 

This  is  accomplished  by  pollination,  that  which' 
nature  performs  in  a  chance  sort  of  way  by  insects  or 
the  wind.  The  breeder  in  addition  to  using  nature's 
method,  applies  an  intelligent  system  or  purpose. 
Having  selected  the  two  plants  to  be  crossed,  he  care- 
fully transfers  with  a  camel' s-hair  brush,  a  spoon,  or 
by  using  his  thumb  nail,  the  pollen  from  the  anthers  of 
one  plant  to  the  stigma  of  the  other  which  is  to  bear  the 
seeds.  Pie  then  covers  the  pollenized  flower  with  a 
small  bag  of  gauze  or  mosquito  netting  to  prevent  ac- 
cess to  it  by  insects  carrying  pollen  from  other  plants. 
The  rest  is  left  to  nature. 


112  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

In  such  case  where  the  plant  selected  has  the  stamens 
and  pistils  in  the  same  flower,  the  stamens  (the  male 
organs)  must  be  cut  off  with  a  small  scissors  before 
their  pollen  has  ripened  so  as  to  prevent  self-fertiliza- 
tion. The  flower  is  then  to  be  kept  covered  with  a 
small  bag  until  the  pistil  is  ripe  and  ready  to  receive 
the  pollen  from  the  other  flower  selected.  This  is  to 
protect  it  from  the  conveyance  of  foreign  pollen  by 
insects  or  the  wind. 

As  in  selection,  crossing  is  best  secured  by  having  a 
large  field  in  which  to  work.  For  instance,  Burbank 
in  experimenting  with  peaches  found  only  about  one 
desirable  variety  in  each  one  thousand  seedlings  tested, 
while  in  raspberries  and  blackberries  he  found  only 
about  one  in  twenty  thousand  that  he  considered 
worthy  of  acceptance. 

Hybrids,  in  the  first  generation,  usually  resemble 
each  other.  But  they  greatly  vary  in  the  second  gen- 
eration, and  it  is  in  this  that  there  may  be  found  the 
types  that  are  being  bred  for. 

When  a  desirable  type  is  discovered,  it  must  be  fixed. 
This  is  done  by  continued  careful  selection.  In  other 
words,  breeding  is  repeated  for  several  more  generations 
with  its  own  pollen  or  pollen  ot  the  same  cross,  until  it 
indicates  unvaried  reproduction,  that  is,  it  shows  that 
it  will  reproduce  itself  true.  It  will  then  be  ready  for 
introduction. 

Certain  improvements  may  only  be  secured  by  cross- 
ing, such  as  the  blending  of  color  and  producing  a 
fragrant  flower  from  an  odorless  one. 

In  the  crossing  of  plants  possessing  contrary  qualities, 
such  as  hardy  and  tender,  greater  vigor  is  the  result. 

Plant  Breeding  Among  the  Ancients — "Is  there 
anything  whereof  it  may  be  said — see  this  is  new  ?  It 


ORIGINATING    NEW    VARIETIES.  113 

hath  been  already  of  old  time,  which  was  before  us." 
Ecclesiastes. 

' '  And  he  slept  and  dreamed  the  second  time;  and 
behold  seven  ears  of  corn  came  up  upon  one  stalk,  rank 
and  good."  Pharaoh's  Dream,  Genesis. 

"We  remember  the  fish  which  we  did  eat  in  Egypt 
freely;  the  cucumbers,  and  the  melons,  and  the  leeks, 
and  the  onions  and  the  garlic. ' '  Numbers. 

* '  Six  years  shalt  thou  sow  thy  field  and  six  years 
shalt  thou  prune  thy  vineyard  and  gather  in  the  fruit 
thereof,  but  in  the  seventh  year  shall  be  a  Sabbath  of 
rest  unto  the  land."  Leviticus. 

' '  And  he  fenced  it  and  gathered  out  the  stones  thereof 
and  planted  it  with  the  choicest  vine,  and  built  a  tower  in 
the  midst  of  it,  and  also  made  a  wine  press  therein; 
and  he  looked  that  it  should  bring  forth  grapes,  and  it 
brought  forth  wild  grapes. ' '  Isaiah. 

* '  The  husbandmen  who  do  not  keep  their  fields  well 
weeded  are  not  equal  to  their  business. ' '  Chinese  Sage, 
about  500  B.  C. 

The  work  of  the  modern  plant-breeder,  while  it  is 
mainly  creditable,  does  not  rank  with  the  performances 
of  the  prehistoric  plant  wizards. 

The  latter,  considered  with  reason,  produced  from 
wild  nature  through  breeding  practices  of  a  high  order, 
the  many  useful  types  of  food  and  other  plants  now  in 
cultivation,  such  as  wheat,  barley,  rye,  etc.,  in  grains; 
cabbage,  onion,  radish,  etc.,  in  vegetables;  our  flax  and 
cotton,  and  our  many  fruits.  These  as  bred  by  them 
directly  from  the  wild  species  (the  most  difficult  part  of 
plant  breeding),  have  been  so  modified  and  improved 
in  their  form  and  character,  that  we  of  to-day  are  not 
able  to  trace  the  nativity  of  some  of  them.  Our  modern 
breeders,  excepting  in  a  comparatively  few  cases,  have 
8 


114  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

simply  been  improving  these  antique  forms,  which  were 
bred  for  cultivation  ages  back  in  a  lost  civilization. 

The  more  we  contemplate  the  work  of  the  ancient 
plant-breeders,  the  more  we  are  lost  in  wonder.  It  is 
plain  that  it  was  not  owing  to  results  of  chance,  but  we 
can  reasonably  conclude  that  it  was  due  to  certain  sys- 
tematic methods,  applied  with  a  high  order  of  intelli- 
gence, generally  along  the  line  of  selection. 

The  living  evidences  of  their  skill  are  these  specimens 
which  have  come  down  to  us,  and  of  which  Pliny  gives 
testimony  that  they  existed  under  cultivation  at  the 
beginning  of  the  Christian  era,  not  materially  different 
in  their  forms  from  what  they  are  to-day. 

How  old  are  these  anciently  bred  plants  ?  It  would 
probably  be  nearer  right  to  date  their  origin  at  least  to 
the  time  of  the  Sphinx,  supposed  to  be  about  seven 
thousand  years  old  or  even  much  further  back  to  that 
mystic  golden  age,  when  men  thought  out  the  first  prin- 
ciples of  arithmetic,  astronomy,  and  the  sciences  gen- 
erally, and  studied  the  art  of  food,  and  perhaps  dis- 
covered the  secret  since  lost,  of  being  able  to  live  to 
be  one  thousand  years  old.  That,  even  in  the  time 
of  Josephus  the  historian,  there  were  glimmerings  of, 
as  when  in  writing  the  views  of  his  period,  why  men 
were  formerly  able  to  live  to  such  great  age,  he  said: 
"  Because  their  food  was  then  fitter  for  the  prolongation 
of  life." 

Before  leaving  this  pardonable  reference  to  prehistoric 
plant-breeding,  let  us  direct  attention  to  the  simple  hard- 
heading  cabbage,  and  its  sub-varieties,  brussels  sprouts, 
broccoli,  cauliflower,  kohl  rabi  and  ruta  baga,  and  in- 
quire whether  any  plant-breeder  of  our  time  is  able  to 
reproduce  these  in  forms  as  we  know  them,  from  their 
progenitor,  the  wild  cabbage,  which  is  to  be  seen  to-day 


ORIGINATING   NEW   VARIETIES.  115 

growing  in  Europe,  producing  a  mass  of  loose  leaves. 
If  he  should  succeed  in  doing  so,  he  would  approach 
the  skill  of  the  prehistorics  in  plant-breeding. 

Naming  New  Varieties. — The  first  thing  in  order 
after  the  production  of  a  new  variety  is  to  give  it  a 
name  or  an  appropriate  title. 

There  is  no  good  reason  why  the  originator  or  dis- 
coverer of  a  variety  should  not  use  his  own  name, 
Latinized  or  otherwise,  in  making  up  a  title  to  be 
adopted;  some  such  form  of  title  renders  it  easier  to 
settle  identification  should  controversy  (as  has  hap- 
pened) arise  thereafter  in  the  trade.  And  why,  in  case 
an  individual  name  be  preferred,  should  the  introducer 
instead  of  the  originator,  if  they  be  not  one  and  the 
same,  appropriate  an  honor  that  belongs  to  discovery  ? 

But  if  it  be  preferred  to  form  a  name  which  shall 
represent  the  character  or  type  of  the  plant  itself,  let  it 
be  purely  descriptive,  as  for  instance,  Stringless  Green 
pod  beans,  White  Spine  cucumber,  Long  Scarlet  radish, 
Early  Red- top  Globe  turnip.  The  name  of  a  country 
may  always  be  used  to  good  effect,  such  as  Early  York 
cabbage,  Long  White  Vienna  radish.  Avoid  using 
superfluous  high-sounding  adjectives. 


116  THE  SEED-GROWER. 

FORMS  OF  CONTRACTS  MADE  BY  SEED-GROW- 
ERS WITH  SEED-DEALERS,  AS  USED  BY 
SOME  OF  THE  LEADING  GROWERS 
IN  AMERICA. 

Before  a  grower  undertakes  to  raise  a  crop  of  any 
nature  for  any  dealer*  he  should  secure  a  written  con- 
tract or  agreement  which  both  parties  sign ;  a  duplicate 
of  same  is  retained  by  the  dealer.  The  usual  custom 
is  to  have  the  contract  form  printed. 

FORM  No.  1. 
SEED  CONTRACT  FOR  CROP  OF  1905. 

,  1905. 

I  hereby  agree  to  grow  for 


seed  corn  as  per  quantities  and  varieties  enumerated 
below,  and  do  all  the  work  necessary  for  growing  a 

good  crop,  and  to  deliver  the  same  to 

in  good,  merchantable  condition,  well  cleaned,  dry  and 

A  No.  1,  in  all  respects,  subject  to  test;  and agree 

to  take  the  product  of  said  number  of  acres  and  pay  as 
follows: 

per  bushel,   shelled   struck  measure,   and 

for  what sees  fit  to  take  in 

the  ear.     And agrees  to  furnish  free 

of  charge,  as  much  seed  as  is  required  to  plant  the  said 
number  of  acres. 


FORMS   OF   CONTRACTS.  117 

NUMBER  OF  ACRES  TO  BE  PLANTED  AND  VARIETIES. 

No.  of  Acres.  Varieties. 


Terms  of  payment 


In  witness  whereof,  we  have  hereunto  set  our  hands 
and  seals  the  day  and  year  above  written. 

WITNESSES: 

(Seal) 

(Seal) 

FORM  No.  2. 
CROP  1905. 

This  agreement,  made  in  duplicate  this day  of 

by  and  between  Thomas  Martin,  of  Adrian, 

Michigan,  party  of  the  first  part,  and  Peter  T.  Brown, 
of  Reading,  Pennsylvania,  party  of  the  second  part, 
witnesseth: 

That  for  and  in  consideration  of  the  covenants  here- 
inafter entered  into  by  the  said  party  of  the  first  part, 
said  party  of  the  second  part  does  hereby  purchase  of 
said  first  party  the  quantities  and  varieties  of  seeds  be- 
low named,  and  agree  to  pay  therefor,  at  the  prices 

attached,  on  a  basis  of acceptance,  or 

cash  from  date  of  shipment. 

Said  first  party,  in  consideration  of  the  foregoing, 
does  agree  to  cause  to  have  planted,  sufficient  seed  or 
roots  to  produce  the  quantities  of  seeds  named  herein 
and  amounts  set  opposite  each  variety  below,  provided 


118  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

the  season  admits  the  growing  of  same,  to  deliver  said 

seed  on  cars  at 

Shipment  to  be  made  to  the  party  of  the  second  part, 
as  soon  as  possible  after  the  harvest  of  crops. 

Quantity.  Variety.  Price. 


In  witness  whereof,  the  parties  hereto  have  hereunto 
set  their  hands  and  seals  the  day  and  year  first  above 
written. 

WITNESSES: 

(Seal) 

(Seal) 

FORM  No.  3. 

,  190-. 

SMITH  SEED  COMPANY, 
SAN  FRANCISCO,  CALIFORNIA. 

Please  enter  our  order  for  the  varieties  and  quantities 
of  seed  herein  named,  at  the  prices  annexed,  for  which 
we  agree  to  accept  and  pay,  under  the  following  con- 
ditions and  terms: 

Crop  of  1905  growth,  to  be  delivered  as  early  as  pos- 
sible during  the  following  fall  and  winter. 

In  event  of  shortage  of  crop,  orders  to  be  filled  pro 
rata. 

Delivery  F.  O.  B.  San  Francisco. 
Terms:  Net,  June  1st,  following  delivery;  or  5  per 
cent,  discount  for  cash  within  30  days  from  date  of 
shipment. 

Name 

Address... 


FORMS   OF   CONTRACTS.  119 

Quantity.  Variety.  Price. 


FORM  No.  4. 
ROBERT  BROWN  &  SON,  WHOLESALE  GROWERS, 

FREMONT,  NEBRASKA. 
CONTRACT  QUOTATIONS.    CROP  1905. 
To.. 


CONDITIONS. 

The  prices  herein  quoted  are  for  early  orders,  subject 
to  change  without  notice  ten  days  after  date.  If  our 
supply  of  planting  stock  of  any  variety  becomes  ex- 
hausted, further  orders  for  such  variety  will  only  be 
accepted  conditional  on  planting  stock  being  furnished 
by  the  customer,  which  stock  is  to  be  charged  to  our 
account  at  contract  price.  Will  plant  other  standard 
varieties  not  herein  listed,  if  planting  stock  is  furnished 
by  customer,  and  the  order  is  for-  sufficient  quantities. 

.  Goods  delivered  as  early  after  harvest  as  they  can  be 
properly  cured  and  fitted  for  market. 

In  the  event  of  short  or  unmarketable  crops,  deliver- 
ies will  be  made  pro  rata,  and  without  responsibility  on 
our  part  for  such  shortages  and  failures.  We  also  dis- 
claim responsibility  for  loss  or  damage  by  fire,  or  other 
unavoidable  accidents  to  stock  while  in  our  possession, 
or  in  the  hands  of  our  sub-growers. 

We  exercise  the  utmost  care  to  have  air  seeds  pure 
and  reliable,  and  of  such  quality  as  will  be  thoroughly 
satisfactory  to  our  customers,  but  we  give  no  warranty, 


120  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

expressed  or  implied,  as  to  description,  purity,  pro- 
ductiveness, or  any  other  matter  connected  with  the 
seeds  we  send  out,  and  will  not  be  in  any  way  respon- 
sible for  the  crop. 

Quotations  are  made  for  wholesale  quantities  only, 
and  do  not  apply  on  small  amounts  of  standard  varie- 
ties. 

Deliveries  are  made  F.  0.  B.  cars,  at  Fremont,  Ne- 
braska, and  our  responsibility  ceases  on  delivery  to 
carrier  in  good  order,  properly  consigned  and  receipted 
for. 

Bags  charged  extra,  at  wholesale  cost  to  us.  Second- 
hand bags  and  special  brands  not  accepted  for  use. 

TERMS  OF  PAYMENT. 

All  varieties  except  corn:  Draft,  payable  with  ex- 
change, 60  days  from  date  of  shipment,  to  be  accepted 
and  sent  us  upon  receipt  of  each  invoice  and  bill  of 
lading,  otherwise  invoice  becomes  due  in  30  days  from 
date,  less  one  per  cent,  discount. 

Corn:  Net  cash  30  days. 

No.  of  Lbs.  Variety.  Price  per  Lb. 


Please  book  our  order  for  quantities  specified  on  this 
sheet,  at  prices  therein  quoted,  and  ship  by  cheapest 
freight  as  soon  as  ready. 

Name 

Address   

Date  .. 


FORMS   OF   CONTRACTS.  121 

FORM  No.  5. 

The  following  list  represents  the  different  varieties  of 
seeds  I  am  preparing  to  grow  the  coming  season. 

Personal  attention  is  given  by  myself  to  the  detail 
work  of  my  seed-growing,  and  I  claim  with  confidence 
that  my  stocks  are  unsurpassed  in  purity  and  quality. 

In  growing,  I  exercise  the  greatest  care  in  roguing 
and  keeping  my  seed  pure,  but  give  no  warranty  ex- 
pressed or  implied.  I  furnish  all  stock  seed. 

Bags:  Extra  at  market  value. 

Shipment:  As  soon  after  harvest  as  practicable. 

Delivery:  F.  0.  B.  Morristown,  New  Jersey. 

Terms:  60  days  acceptance,  or  1J  per  cent,  discount 
for  cash,  10  days  after  date  of  shipment. 

SAMUEL  P.  DAVIS,  SEED  GROWER, 

MORRISTOWN,  NEW  JERSEY. 

Please  book  my  order  for  the  following  varieties  and 
quantities  of  seed,  subject  to  pro-rata  delivery  in  event 
of  a  short  crop. 

Name 

Address   

Date 

No.  ofLbs.  Variety.  Price. 


ACCEPTED, 

Date  .. 


122  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

CULTURAL  HINTS  FOR  THE  ORDINARY 
GARDEN. 

Most  varieties  may  be  forwarded  by  starting  them  in 
a  hotbed  before  spring  opens,  and  in  such  case,  or 
when  starting  plants  in  open  ground  in  a  seed  or  nurs- 
ery bed,  seed  should  be  sown  thinly  in  narrow  rows, 
four  or  five  inches  apart,  thinning  out  plants  to  quite 
small  distances  apart  when  the  first  true  leaf  appears. 

Artichoke — Seedlings  or  suckers  taken  off  in  spring 
should  be  set  out  in  rows  4  feet  apart,  2  feet  in  the  row. 

One  ounce  seed  will  sow  100  feet  of  drill. 

Asparagus — Seed  is  slow  to  germinate,  and  may  be 
soaked  24  hours  in  warm  water  to  hasten  its  sprouting. 
Sow  thinly  in  rows  1  foot  apart,  thinning  out  afterwards 
to  4  inches  in  the  row.  Reset  roots  when  one  year  old 
6  inches  below  surface  and  12  inches  apart  in  the  row. 

One  ounce  will  sow  50  feet  of  drill;  1  pound  will  pro- 
duce about  2,500  plants. 

Beans — Make  rows  for  bush  varieties  18  inches  apart. 
Drop  one  bean  every  3  or  4  inches,  covering  2  inches 
deep.  Make  hills  for  pole  varieties  3  feet  each  way; 
plant  four  or  five  beans  to  a  hill. 

One  pint  bush  beans  will  plant  100  feet  of  row.  One 
pint  pole  beans  will  plant  75  hills. 

Beet — Sow  table  varieties  in  drills  18  inches  apart,  1 
inch  deep;  thin  plants  to  6  inches  apart.  Sow  field 
varieties  in  drills,  2  J  feet  apart,  thinning  to  1  foot  apart. 

One  ounce  will  sow  60  feet  of  drill.  5  pounds  man- 
gold wurtzel,  10  pounds  sugar  beet  will  plant  one  acre. 

Broccoli,  Brussels  Sprouts — Set  out  plants  from  seed 
bed  in  rows  2  feet  apart,  18  inches  in  the  row. 

One  ounce  will  produce  3,000  plants. 

Cabbage — Set  out  plants  from  nursery  or  hotbed  in 


CULTURAL  HINTS  FOR  THE  ORDINARY  GARDEN.   123 

rows  2  feet  apart;  15  inches  apart  in  the  row  for  the 
early  varieties,  24  inches  for  the  late  sorts.  The 
largest  heads  of  any  particular  variety  are  produced  in 
deep,  rich  soil;  variations  of  soil  markedly  affect  the 
size  of  cabbage  from  the  same  seed. 

One  ounce  will  produce  3,000  plants;  J  pound  is 
sufficient  for  one  acre. 

Cardoon — Sow  in  drills  3  feet  apart,  1J-  inches  in 
depth,  thinning  to  12  inches  apart. 

One  ounce  will  sow  100  feet  of  drill  and  produce  500 
plants. 

Cardoon  is  inedible  unless  bleached  or  blanched, 
which  is  done  on  a  dry  day  by  tying  the  leaves  care- 
fully and  tightly  together,  keeping  the  whole  upright 
and  ribs  closely  together.  The  plant  itself  is  then 
bound,  using  straw  bands,  beginning  at  the  root  and 
continuing  until  about  three-fourths  of  the  height  is 
covered.  From  two  to  four  weeks  is  required  for 
blanching. 

Carrot — Sow  in  drills  15  inches  apart,  covering  J  to  1 
inch  deep;  thin  plants  to  4  or  5  inches  apart;  in  field 
culture  make  rows  2^-  feet  apart. 

One  ounce  will  sow  100  feet  of  row;  3  pounds  one 
acre. 

Cauliflower — Transfer  plants  from  nursery  or  hotbed 
to  rows  2J  feet  apart,  18  inches  in  the  row. 

One  ounce  will  produce  3,000  plants. 

Celery — Transplant  from  seed  bed  into  rows  3  to  5 
feet  apart,  6  inches  in  the  row. 

One  ounce  will  sow  100  feet  of  drill  and  produce  4,000 
plants. 

Blanching  is  begun  six  weeks  after  transplanting 
when  the  plants  are  not  wet  from  rain  or  dew.  With 
an  ordinary  hoe  the  soil  is  drawn  about  one  foot  high  to 


124  THE  SEED-GROWER. 

the  row  from  each  side.  The  leaves  are  taken  in  one 
hand,  and  with  the  other  the  soil  is  drawn  around  them, 
pressing  firmly,  being  careful  that  no  soil  gets  between 
the  leaves  to  produce  rust  or  rot.  In  about  two  weeks 
the  earth  is  raised  about  a  foot  higher,  and  frequently 
thereafter  it  is  again  raised. 

Blanching  may  also  be  effected  by  using  hemlock 
boards  1  inch  thick,  1  foot  wide  and  12  feet  long;  these 
being  placed  on  edge  beside  the  rows  and  held  by 
wooden  cleats.  Wrapping  the  plants  in  thick  paper  is 
also  another  way  for  blanching  celery. 

Chervil — Sow  J-inch  deep  in  drills  1  foot  apart,  thin- 
ning to  1  foot  apart. 

One  ounce  will  sow  100  feet  of  drill. 

Chicory — Sow  f-inch  deep  in  drills  15  inches  apart, 
thinning  to  8  inches  apart. 

One  ounce  will  sow  100  feet  of  drill. 

Blanching  is  done  after  the  manner  for  celery. 

Chives — Propagated  by  division  of  roots  or  bulbs. 
These  are  planted  in  rows  18  inches  apart,  12  inches  in 
the  row. 

One  planting  will  last  many  years. 

Collards — Sow  thinly  in  drills  3  feet  apart,  thinning 
to  12  inches  apart. 

One  ounce  will  sow  300  feet  of  row. 

Corn-Sugar — Make  hills  for  the  early  or  dwarf  varie- 
ties 3  feet  each  way;  for  the  late  or  tall  kinds,  4  feet 
each  way.  Allow  three  stalks  to  stand  to  a  hill.  Some 
plant  in  rows  3J  feet  apart,  8  inches  in  the  row. 

One  quart  will  plant  200  hills;  10  quarts,  one  acre. 

Corn  Salad — Sow  thinly  in  drills  1  foot  apart,  cover- 
ing about  J-inch  deep;  thin  out  to  4  inches  apart. 

One  ounce  will  sow  50  feet  of  drill. 

Cress — Sow  garden  variety  thickly  in  shallow  drills  6 


CULTURAL  HINTS  FOR  THE  ORDINARY  GARDEN.   125 

or  8  inches  apart.  Water  cress  should  be  sown  in 
spring  along  the  edges  of  ponds,  or  shallow  streams  of 
fresh  running  water;  further  sowing  will  be  unneces- 
sary as  it  reseeds  itself. 

One  ounce  will  sow  100  feet  of  drill. 

Cucumber — Make  hills  4  feet  each  way.  Plant  8  to 
10  seeds  in  a  hill,  covering  half  an  inch  deep.  When 
danger  from  bugs  is  over,  thin  out  to  three  or  four  of 
the  strongest  plants  in  a  hill. 

One  ounce  will  plant  50  hills;  2  pounds,  one  acre. 

Dandelion — Sow  half  an  inch  deep  in  drills  15  inches 
apart,  thinning  to  3  inches  in  the  row. 

One  ounce  will  sow  100  feet  of  drill. 

Blanch  for  salad  by  tying  up  or  covering  with  in- 
verted flower  pots. 

Eggplant — Set  out  from  hotbed  2J  feet  each  way. 

One  ounce  will  produce  2,000  plants. 

Endive — Sow  in  drills  15  inches  apart,  thinning  out 
to  1  foot  apart. 

One  ounce  will  sow  100  feet  of  row. 

To  have  the  flavor  mild  and  delicate,  the  plants 
should  be  blanched,  which  may  be  done  when  they 
are  of  good  size,  by  gathering  the  leaves  closely  together 
and  tying  loosely  in  an  upright  bunch.  This  will 
bleach  the  inner  leaves  in  about  two  weeks. 

Kale — Sow  in  drills  2J  feet  apart,  thinning  to  3  to  10 
inches  apart  according  to  vigor  of  variety. 

One  ounce  will  sow  200  feet  of  drill;  4  pounds,  one 
acre. 

Kohl  Rabi — Sow  thinly  in  drills  2  feet  apart,  thinning 
to  10  inches  apart. 

One  ounce  will  sow  200  feet  of  row. 

Leek — If  for  permanent  position,  sow  in  drills  2  feet 
apart;  if  for  transplanting,  sow  in  close  beds.  Let 
plants  stand  9  inches  apart  in  the  row. 


126  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

One  ounce  will  sow  100  feet  of  drill. 

Blanch  after  the  manner  for  celery,  by  earthing  up  as 
the  plants  advance  in  growth. 

Lettuce  —  Transplant  from  seed  bed  into  rows  18 
inches  apart,  8  inches  in  the  row. 

One  ounce  will  sow  125  feet  of  drill. 

Melon — Make  hills  for  muskmelon  6  feet  each  way; 
watermelon  8  feet  each  way.  Plant  8  to  10  seeds  to  a 
hill  to  allow  for  bugs,  and  when  danger  from  them  is 
past,  thin  out  to  three  of  the  strongest  plants  to  a  hill. 

One  ounce  muskmelon  will  plant  60  hills;  2  to  3 
pounds,  one  acre. 

One  ounce  watermelon  will  plant  20  hills;  3  pounds, 
one  acre. 

To  have  extra  large  melons  for  exhibition  purposes, 
leave  but  one  or  two  melons  to  a  vine. 

Mustard — Sow  in  drills  1  foot  apart,  thinning  to  6 
inches  apart. 

One  ounce  will  sow  100  feet  of  drill. 

Okra — Sow  one  inch  deep  in  hills  or  drills;  in  hills  2 
feet  apart  each  way,  2  or  3  plants  being  allowed  to 
stand  to  a  hill;  if  in  drills,  3  feet  apart,  thinning  plants 
to  10  inches  apart. 

One  ounce  will  sow  100  feet  of  drill  or  plant  40  hills. 

Onion — Sow  in  drills  1  foot  apart,  £-inch  deep;  thin 
out  plants  to  3  or  4  inches  apart. 

One  ounce  will  sow  100  feet  of  drill;  4  or  5  pounds, 
one  acre. 

To  have  the  mild-flavored  Italian  and  Bermuda 
varieties  early,  start  in  hotbed  in  January  or  February, 
sowing  in  drills  1 J  to  2  inches  apart,  transplanting  to 
open  ground  without  a  check  in  their  growth  when 
danger  from  frost  is  over.  By  the  10th  of  July,  they 
should  form  onions  of  marketable  size  2  to  3  inches  in 
diameter. 


CULTURAL  HINTS  FOR  THE  ORDINARY  GARDEN.   127 

Onion  Potato — Propagated  by  sets  which  are  formed 
in  a  number  of  various  sizes  about  the  parent  bulb 
beneath  the  ground.  The  sets  being  separated,  are 
planted  in  rows  1  foot  apart,  3  inches  in  the  row,  reach- 
ing full  maturity  early  in  fall. 

Onion  Shallots  —  Propagated  by  oblong-shaped  sets 
which  are  produced  in  a  cluster  beneath  the  ground. 
These  being  separated,  are  planted  in  rows  1  foot  apart, 
6  inches  in  the  row. 

Onion  Top — Propagated  by  bulblets,  which  grow  in  a 
cluster  on  the  stem  above  ground.  These  bulblets  are 
planted  in  rows  1  foot  apart,  6  inches  in  the  row,  and 
quickly  produce  a  larger  bulb. 

Parsley — Seed  is  slow  to  germinate,  and  may  be 
soaked  12  hours  in  warm  water  to  hasten  sprouting. 
Sow  in  drills  15  inches  apart,  J-inch  deep,  thinning 
afterwards  to  6  inches  apart. 

One  ounce  will  sow  150  feet  of  drill. 

Parsnip— Sow  J-inch  deep,  in  drills  15  inches  apart, 
thinning  to  6  inches  apart. 

One  ounce  will  sow  100  feet  of  drill;  5  pounds,  one 
acre. 

The  roots  have  a  fine  flavor  after  being  touched  by 
frost,  and  may  be  left  in  the  ground  over  winter. 

Peas — Sow  in  rows  2J  to  4  feet  apart,  according  to 
variety  whether  dwarf  or  tall.  Drop  10  peas  to  a  foot 
of  the  dwarf  sorts,  8  to  a  foot  of  the  medium  tall,  6  to  a 
foot  of  the  very  tall  varieties,  covering  seeds  one  inch 
deep. 

One  quart  of  smaller  seeded  kinds,  such  as  Alaska, 
will  plant  60  feet  of  row;  same  quantity  of  larger  seeded 
and  taller  varieties,  such  as  Telephone,  will  plant  100 
feet  of  row,  owing  to  being  sown  more  thinly. 

In  a  home  garden  the  vines  may  be  supported  by 


128  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

brush,  or  what  is  a  nice  way,  by  wire  netting  fastened 
to  2x4  stakes  driven  into  the  ground.  When  the  vines 
are  to  be  supported,  the  rows  should  be  made  double,  6 
inches  apart. 

Pepper — Transplant  from  nursery  or  hotbed  into  rows 
3  feet  apart,  18  inches  between  the  plants. 

One  ounce  will  sow  300  feet  of  drill  or  produce  1,500 
plants. 

Hot  varieties  should  not  be  grown  near  mild  kinds, 
to  prevent  the  former  imparting  their  more  pungent 
nature  to  the  latter. 

Pumpkin — Make  hills  8  feet  apart  each  way.  Plant 
8  to  10  seeds  to  a  hill,  thinning  out  to  two  of  the  strong- 
est plants  to  a  hill,  when  danger  from  bugs  is  over. 

One  ounce  will  plant  15  hills;  one  pound,  one  acre. 

When  grown  with  corn  every  fourth  hill  of  every 
fourth  row  may  be  sown  with  pumpkin  seed.  The 
pumpkin  plants  will  stand  cultivation  of  the  corn  with- 
out injury,  and  after  corn-culture  stops,  will  cover  the 
field. 

Radish — Sow  -J-inch  deep  in  drills  10  to  12  inches 
apart.  Thin  to  2  inches  apart  for  the  small  varieties; 
3  to  4  inches  for  the  large  sorts.  They  mature  more 
rapidly  when  standing  well  apart. 

One  ounce  will  sow  100  feet  of  drill;  8  pounds,  one 
acre. 

Tc  have  radishes  in  perfection,  they  should  be  grown 
in  a  light,  warm  soil,  and  the  richer  and  more  friable 
it  can  be  made  the  better.  Quality  depends  on  quick- 
ness of  growth;  the  roots  delight  in  a  temperature  of 
45°  to  65°. 

Rhubarb — Sow  in  drills  1  foot  apart,  thinning  to  10 
inches  apart.  Transplant  in  autumn  or  following 
spring  into  rows  3  feet  each  way. 


CULTURAL  HINTS  FOR  THE  ORDINARY  GARDEN.   129 

One  ounce  will  sow  100  feet  of  drill. 

Salsify — Sow  in  drills  15  inches  apart,  thinning  to  4 
or  5  inches  between  the  plants. 

One  ounce  will  sow  50  feet  of  drill. 

Roots  are  better  flavored  after  they  have  been  touched 
by  frost,  and  the  table  may  be  supplied  from  the  gar- 
den whenever  the  weather  will  admit  of  their  being  dug. 

Sorrel — Sow  J-inch  deep  in  drills  18  inches  apart, 
thinning  to  12  inches  apart. 

One  ounce  will  sow  100  feet  of  drill. 

Spinach — Sow  f -inch  deep  in  drills  1  foot  apart,  thin- 
ning to  6  inches  apart. 

One  ounce  will  sow  100  feet  of  drill;  10  pounds,  one 
acre. 

Squash — Make  hills  for  bush  varieties  5  feet  each 
way;  for  running  sorts  6  to  8  feet  apart.  Plant  6  to  8 
seeds  to  a  hill,  thinning  to  three  strong  plants  to  a  hill 
when  danger  from  bugs  is  over. 

One  ounce  of  bush  sorts  will  plant  40  hills;  same  of 
large-seeded  kinds  will  plant  15  hills;  2  or  3  pounds, 
one  acre. 

Tomato — Set  plants  from  hotbed  or  nursery  bed  into 
rows  3  to  5  feet  apart  each  way. 

One  ounce  will  produce  2,000  plants. 

Fruit  is  improved  by  tying  to  stakes  or  trellises. 
Set  one  strong  plant  to  a  stake  5  to  7  feet  high,  tying 
with  strong,  soft  twine.  Prune  out  freely  as  plants 
advance  in  growth. 

Turnip  —  Sow  in  drills  or  broadcast;  the  former 
method  produces  best  results.  Let  rows  be  30  inches 
apart,  thinning  plants  to  4  or  5  inches  apart  for  turnip, 
6  to  8  inches  for  ruta  baga.  Seeds  should  be  covered 
half  an  inch  deep. 

One  ounce  will  sow  150  feet  of  drill;  2  pounds,  one  acre. 
9 


130  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

WHAT  IS  THE  PROPER  TIME  FOR  SOWING 
OUT  OF  DOORS  IN  SPRING? 

As  the  seasons  vary  and  differ  according  to  the  cli- 
mate or  the  locality,  one's  own  experience  or  that  of 
some  successful  neighbor  is  the  best  guide  for  planting 
that  can  be  suggested.  A  safe  rule  for  the  hardiest 
varieties  is  to  sow  as  soon  as  the  ground  is  entirely 
free  from  frost  and  can  be  made  in  condition.  This 
may  mean  in  some  of  the  extreme  Southern  States  Jan- 
uary or  February;  in  some  warmer  sections  of  the 
Northern  States,  the  latter  part  of  March  or  1st  of  April; 
in  colder  sections  not  before  the  20th  or  25th  of  April 
or  May  1st.  In  the  Middle  States  (and  some  such 
rule  will  apply  everywhere)  it  is  pursued  by  many 
gardeners  by  observing  nature,  such  as  the  leafing  of  the 
early  shrubs  and  trees,  the  blossoming  of  the  early  wild 
flowers  and  fruit  trees. 

Cabbage,  lettuce,  onion  sets,  parsley,  peas,  radish, 
salsify,  spinach  and  turnip  are  sown  in  Southeastern 
Pennsylvania  when  the  violet  and  the  arbutus,  the 
peach,  cherry  and  pear  are  in  full  bloom,  or  the  maple 
and  horse  chestnut  in  one  inch  leaf,  which  is  gener- 
ally from  April  18th  to  25th,  depending  on  the  earliness 
or  lateness  of  the  season.  Sowing  of  the  less  hardy 
varieties,  such  as  beans,  beet,  carrot,  celery,  cucumber, 
kale,  okra,  onion  and  parsnip,  is  made  a  week  or  so 
later,  when  the  apple  is  in  blossom,  or  the  oak  (a  late 
tree)  is  in  one  inch  leaf,  which  is  from  May  1st  to  5th. 
Corn,  melon  and  squash  are  planted  when  all  danger 
from  frost  is  past,  or  when  the  catalpa  and  blackberry 
are  in  bloom,  from  May  15th  to  20th. 

The  following  table  for  a  period  of  ten  years  taken 
from  a  record  kept  for  twenty  years  by  the  writer,  shows 
the  season  or  the  average  time  when  blossoming  and 


PLANTS   TO   MATURE. 


131 


leafing  of  certain  early  plants  usually  occur  at  Phila- 
delphia : 

Average  dates  when  fruit  trees  and  mid  flowers  blossomed  and  trees  leafed 
around  Philadelphia  during  a  period  of  ten  years. 

1880. 

Violet,  arbutus,  blossom   .  .  .  Apl.  21 
Cherry,  peach,  pear  blossom  .  Apl.  22 

Apple  blossom Apl.  26 

Maple,  horse-chestnut,  one 

inch  leaf Apl.  18 

Oak,  one  inch  leaf Apl.  25 

1885. 

Violet,  arbutus,  blossom  .  .  .  Apl.  26 
Cherry,  peach,  pear  blossom  .  Apl.  26 

Apple  blossom May   1 

Maple,  horse-chestnut,  one 

inch  leaf Apl.  25 

Oak,  one  inch  leaf May  5 


1831. 

1882. 

1S83. 

1884. 

Apl.  23 
Apl.  23 
Apl.  27 

Apl.  25 
Apl.  25 
Apl.  29 

Apl.  25 

Apl.  25 
May  1 

Apl.  25 
Apl.  25 
Apl.  29 

Apl.  23 
Apl.  30 

Apl.  18 
Apl.  25 

Apl.  23 
May  1 

Apl.  22 
Apl.  29 

1886. 

1887. 

1888. 

1889. 

Apl.  23 
Apl.  23 
Apl.  28 

May  1 
May   1 
May  4 

Apl.  30 
Apl.  30 
May   1 

Apl.  25 
Apl.  25 
Apl.  28 

Apl.  19 
Apl.  27 

Apl.  25 
May  5 

Apl.  27 
May  3 

Apl.  18 
Apl.  27 

AVERAGE  TIME  IN  A  FAVORABLE  SEASON 
FOR  PLANTS  TO  MATURE  TO  EDIBLE  CON- 
DITION FROM  SOWING  OF  SEED,  WITH 
YIELD  PER  ACRE  FOR  IMPORTANT  VARI- 
ETIES. 

The  earliness  of  varieties  is  usually  obtained  at  the 
expense  of  smallness  in  size  of  fruit,  head,  root,  pod  or 
grain;  in  the  case  of  sugar  corn,  ears  of  the  early  kinds 
are  not  only  smaller,  but  the  depth,  plumpness  and 
sugariness  of  grain  are  less  than  these  found  in  the 
late  varieties. 

Artichoke — Matures  from  90  to  120  days. 

Asparagus — Cutting  season  of  shoots  in  spring  will 
range  from  5  to  6  weeks.  From  800  to  1,000  two- 
pound  bunches  may  be  cut  to  an  acre;  a  two-pound 
bunch  contains  from  10  to  50  stalks,  varying  according 
to  their  size. 


132  THE  SEED-GROWER. 

Beans — Bush  varieties  mature  from  35  to  45  days 
according  to  variety;  pole  kinds,  50  to  90  days.  A 
yield  of  bush  varieties  is  from  70  to  80  bushels  per  acre. 

Beet — 45  to  65  days,  according  to  variety;  mangold- 
wurtzel,  100  to  130  days;  yield  200  to  500  bushels  of 
roots  per  acre,  according  to  season  and  locality. 

Broccoli— -150  to  200  days. 

Brussels  Sprouts — 150  to  200  days. 

Cabbage— Early  varieties  from  90  to  100  days,  accord- 
ing to  variety;  medium  early,  100  to  120  days;  late 
varieties,  150  to  200  days.  Yield,  7,500  heads  per  acre. 

Cardoon— 140  to  150  days. 

Carrot — 50  to  70  days,  according  to  variety. 

Cauliflower — 100  to  150  days,  according  to  variety; 
10,000  heads  per  acre. 

Celery — 110  to  150  days,  according  to  variety.  Yield 
20,000  to  30,000  plants  per  acre,  five  to  eight  stalks 
per  plant. 

Chervil— 60  days. 

Collards — 50  days. 

Corn-Sugar — 70  to  90  days,  according  to  variety. 
Of  a  large  variety  like  the  Evergreen,  75  to  80  bushels, 
or  about  8,000  ears  have  been  produced  to  the  acre. 

Corn  Salad— 50  to  60  days. 

Cress — 30  days. 

Cucumber — 50  to  80  days,  according  to  variety.  A 
fair  average  production  of  slicing  cucumbers  per  acre  is 
200  crates;  of  pickles  125  bushels  (200  pickles  to  a 
bushel)  per  acre.  Pickle  houses  generally  pay  growers 
40  to  50  cents  per  bushel. 

Dandelion— 150  days. 

Eggplant— 120  days;  yield  8,000  to  9,000  fruits  of 
two  pounds  each  per  acre. 

Endive— 80  to  90  days. 


PLANTS   TO   MATURE.  133 

Kale  -50  to  60  days;  yield  200  to  400  bushels  per 
acre. 

Kohl  Rabi — 60  days;  300  bushels  per  acre. 

Leek — 90  days;  blanching  size,  150  days;  100  to  125 
bushels  per  acre. 

Lettuce — 40  to  60  days,  according  to  variety;  40,000 
heads  per  acre. 

Melons— -70  to  90  days,  according  to  variety;  yield  18 
muskmelons  to  a  hill;  9  watermelons  to  a  hill. 

Mushroom — 30  to  40  days. 

Mustard — 30  days. 

Okra— 60  days. 

Onion — 100  to  130  days,  according  to  variety;  300 
to  1,000  bushels  per  acre,  depending  on  the  variety, 
season  and  locality. 

Parsley — 30  days. 

Parsnip — 150  to  200  days;  yield  full-grown  roots  300 
to  700  bushels  per  acre,  according  to  season  and  locality. 

Peas — 50  to  70  days,  according  to  variety;  100  to  300 
bushels  per  acre,  depending  on  season  and  variety. 
Early  sorts  are  not  grown  profitably  at  less  than  80 
cents  per  bushel,  nor  late  kinds  at  less  than  60  cents. 

Pepper — 100  to  120  days,  according  to  variety. 

Potato— 75  to  90  days;  100  to  400  bushels  per  acre 
are  yields  variously  secured,  depending  on  climate  and 
soil;  1,000  bushels  have  been  obtained  under  superior 
conditions. 

Pumpkin— 120  to  150  days. 

Radish — 20  to  25  days  early  varieties,  25  to  30  days 
medium  early  varieties,  35  to  50  days  summer  varieties, 
50  to  75  days  winter  varieties. 

Salsify — 150  to  170  days;  yield  full-grown  roots,  100 
to  150  bushels  per  acre. 

Squash — 50  days  early  varieties;  120  to  150  days 
winter  varieties. 


134  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

Spinach — 40  to  50  days;  200  barrels  per  acre. 

Tomato— 100  to  120  days,  according  to  variety;  from 
4  to  5  months  are  required  for  a  full  crop.  From 
10,000  to  12,000  pounds  or  from  200  to  240  bushels 
are  produced  per  acre.  Canneries  and  catsup  houses 
usually  pay  from  $6.00  to  $7.00  per  ton  for  fruit, 

Turnip — 60  to  90  days,  according  to  variety;  yields 
will  sometimes  reach  1,000  bushels  per  acre,  though 
the  average  is  much  less  than  that. 

PERIODS  FOR  VEGETABLE  SEEDS  TO 
GERMINATE. 

The  following  are  the  periods  that  it  usually  takes  for 
seeds  to  germinate  after  being  sown  Quickness  of 
germination  depends  somewhat  on  seasoning  or  age  of 
seed,  but  more  upon  conditions  of  weather  and  soil: 

Artichoke  from  12  to  20  days. 

Asparagus  from  18  to  30  days. 

Beans  from  4  to  8  days. 

Beet  from  7  to  15  days. 

Borecole,  Broccoli,  Brussels  Sprouts,  Cabbage  and 
Cauliflower,  4  to  10  days. 

Carrot  from  14  to  21  days. 

Celery  from  12  to  21  days. 

Chervil  from  14  to  21  days. 

Collards  from  4  to  10  days. 

Corn  Salad  from  12  to  15  days. 

Corn  from  4  to  10  days. 

Cress  from  4  to  7  days. 

Cucumber  from  5  to  10  days. 

Eggplant  from  7  to  21  days. 

Endive  from  3  to  7  days. 

Kohl  Rabi  from  4  to  10  days. 

Lettuce  from  4  to  6  days. 


VITALITY   OF  SEEDS.  135 

Melon,  Musk,  from  5  to  10  days. 
Melon,  Water,  from  7  to  14  days. 
Mustard  from  3  to  7  days. 
Onion  from  7  to  14  days. 
Parsley  from  18  to  30  days. 
Parsnip  from  7  to  14  days. 
Peas  from  4  to  10  days. 
Pepper  from  7  to  18  days. 
Pumpkin  from  5  to  10  days. 
Radish  from  3  to  5  days. 
Salsify  from  7  to  14  days. 
Sorrel  from  7  to  14  days. 
Spinach  from  7  to  14  days. 
Squash  from  5  to  10  days. 
Tomato  from  6  to  14  days. 
Turnip  from  3  to  5  days. 

VITALITY  OF  SEEDS. 

In  the  majority  of  cases  fresh  seeds  give  the  best  re- 
sults, that  is,  when  it  is  desired  to  produce  plants  with 
a  strong  leaf  growth.  Naturally,  plants  from  perfectly 
fresh  seeds  possess  greater  vigor,  but  for  plants  that  it 
is  desired  should  head,  fruit  or  bulb  well,  like  cabbage, 
lettuce,  cucumber,  melon,  pumpkin,  beet,  carrot,  onion, 
radish  and  turnip,  it  is  preferable  to  use  seeds  two  or 
three  years  old.  This  applies  as  well  to  flowers;  seeds 
two  years  old  tend  to  produce  more  double  flowers  than 
fresh  seeds.  Such  is  the  wonderful  effect  that  season- 
ing or  age  produces  on  the  life-substance  mysteriously 
bottled  up  within  the  seed  germ. 

The  table  which  follows,  gives  the  average  vitality  of 
the  different  varieties  of  vegetable  seeds.  In  nearly  all 
cases  if  seeds  are  carefully  preserved,  the  vitality  may 
extend  much  longer;  for  instance,  it  is  known  of  bush 


136  THE  SEED-GROWEE. 

beans  of  a  certain  variety  having  germinated  finely 
when  ten  years  old.  On  page  73,  in  the  article  on  pea 
weevil,  directions  are  given  for  destroying  weevil  and 
bugs  in  seeds. 

There  are  usually  many  more  seeds  in  an  ounce  than 
is  actually  denoted  by  the  table,  but  due  allowance  has 
been  made  for  such  which  are  immature  or  defective, 
it  having  been  considered  that  it  will  answer  practical 
purposes  to  present  only  an  approximate  number  of 
well-matured  seeds,  instead  of  the  exact  number  of  all 
the  seeds. 


VITALITY    OF   SEEDS. 


137 


COLOR  AND  VITALITY  OF  SEEDS. 


Color  and  form  of  seeds. 

Approximate  number  of 
well-matured  seeds  in 
an  ounce  

1 

3. 

f 

Artichoke  .    .    . 

Grayish,  streaked  with  blackish-brown, 

500 

5 

Asparagus  .   •    . 

750 

4 

Bean,  bush  .  .    . 

Vary  in  size,  form,  color,  according  to 

50 

s 

Bean,  pole  .   .   . 

Vary  in  size,  form,  color,  according  to 
variety  .............. 

25 

3 

Beet  

Brownish  woody  shell   enclosing  2  to  4 

reddish  -brown,  smooth  kidney-shaped 

750 

5 

Borecole  —  Kale. 

Reddish-brown  or  blackish-brown, 

5,000 

5 

Broccoli  .... 

Reddish-brown  or  blackish-brown, 
rounded 

5  000 

«5 

Brussels  Sprouts. 

Reddish-brown  or  blackish-brown, 
rounded 

5  000 

5 

Cabbage  .... 

Reddish-brown  or  blackish-brown, 

5,000 

5 

Cardoon  .... 

Grayish,  spotted  with  brown,  oblong, 
flattened  

400 

5 

Carrot  .... 
Cauliflower.  .    . 

Pale-brown,  oval,  flattened,  thin   -   . 
Resembles  cabbage,   though    generally 
not  so  plump 

10,000 
5  000 

4 
5 

Celery  

Yellowish  -brown,  triangular,   aromatic 

40,000 

r> 

Chervil  .... 
Chicory  .... 
Col  lards  .... 
Corn-Sugar    .    . 

Blackish-brown,  long,  pointed    .... 
Dark  grayish-brown,  long,  angular  .    . 
Resembles  cabbage    
Either  waxy-yellow,  red,  slate,  accord- 

5,000 
10,000 
5,000 

150 

2 
8 
5 

3 

Corn  Salad  .  . 

Buff,  rounded,  grooved    

9,000 

8 

Cress 

7  500 

K 

Cucumber  .    .    . 
Dandelion  .    .    . 

Yellowish-white,  oval,  much  flattened. 
Brownish   oblon01  slender  .... 

750 
25  000 

8 
3 

Eggplant    .    .    . 

YelloAvish   flattened         ..... 

5  000 

,5 

Endive   .... 

Grayish   long   angular    .        ..... 

10  000 

8 

Kale   
Kohl  Eabi  .  .   . 

(See  Borecole). 
Black  or  reddish  -brown,  rounded  .    .    . 

5,000 

5 

138 


THE   SEED-GROWER. 


COLOR  AND  VITALITY  OF  SEEDS — Continued. 


> 

^ 

»  «-  *& 
gll 

CD 

Color  and  form  of  seeds. 

§  !TH 

Hi 

3" 

:*i 

f 

QQ    C3 
CD    P 

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P-i  CD 

pj 

•   B'2, 

f 

Leek 

Black  triangular                       

6,000 

2 

Lettuce  .... 

Either  white,  black  or  yellow,  according 

to  variety  oval  flattened    

10,000 

4 

Melon,  Musk  .  . 

Usually  yellow,  sometimes  nearly  white, 
varying  in  size  according  to  variety, 

oval  flattened    ....        ..»••'. 

600 

8 

Melon,  Water  . 

Either  red,  white,  black,  yellowish  or 

grayish  brown,  according  to  variety, 

100 

8 

Mustard  .... 

Yellow  or  blackish  or  red  dish  -brown, 

Okra   

according  to  variety,  rounded  .... 
Greenish-drab,  blackish  at  eye,  rounded. 

10,000 
450 

8 
4 

Deep  blue-black,  triangular  

5,000 

2 

Parsley  .... 

Grayish-brown,  ovoid,  aromatic  .... 

5,000 

3 

Parsnip  .... 

Pale-yellowish,  brown  or  yellowish- 

green,  nearly  circular,  flat,  thin  .  .    . 

4,000 

2 

Pea  

Either  creamy-white,  white,  bright  yel- 

low,  yellowish  -  green,    olive  -  green. 

bluish-green,  pale  blue,  blue,  green- 

ish-blue, grayish,  brownish,  smooth, 

dented    or    shriveled,    according    to 

40 

4 

Pepper   .... 

Yellow,  nearly  circular,  flattened  .    .    . 

3,000 

5 

Pumpkin    .    .    . 

Pale-yellow  or  pure  white,  oval,  flattened 

125 

6 

Radish    .... 

Spring  and  summer  varieties,  grayish- 

red;    winter  sorts,  yellowish-red; 

rounded                  •                          • 

2,000 

5 

Rhubarb  .... 

Brown,  triangular,  membranous  at  cor- 

1,000 

3 

Salsify  

Brownish   lonsr  slender  ....... 

2,000 

Sorrel     .    .    .    . 

Brownish,  triangular,  smooth  

20,000 

2 

Spinach  .... 

Either  rounded  or  smooth,  angular  or 

prickly,  according  to  variety  .... 

1,500 

5 

Squash    .... 

Either  pale-yellow  or  pure  white,  ac- 

cording to  variety,  oval,  flattened  .    . 

100 

6 

Tomato  .... 

Yellowish-white  or  pale-gray  .... 

10,000 

4 

Turnip    .... 

Black  or  reddish-brown,  rounded  .    .    . 

5,000 

5 

TESTING    SEEDS. 


139 


TESTING  SEEDS. 

When  there  is  any  doubt  as  to  the  vitality  of  seeds, 
they  should  be  given  a  test  before  sowing  them  or  offer- 
ing them  for  sale. 

In  making  the  test,  it  is  desirable  to  know  what  pro- 
portion or  percentage  will  germinate,  as,  if  this  proves 
to  be  small,  seed  must  be  rejected  or  destroyed.  The 
usual  rule  is  to  make  the  test  with  100  seeds  taken  from 
the  lot  just  as  it  runs,  without  picking  out  any  that  seem 
defective.  A  record  of  all  tests  should  be  kept  in  a 
book  ruled  and  headed  like  the  following  illustration : 


b 

tzj 

^te! 

J> 

^ 

II 

CTQ   f 

11 

»fi 

1  'o 

Bf 

Variety. 

jk 

^  1 

III 

C   "*> 

r»   CO 

2  ^ 

—  fd 

Kemarks. 

• 

.      CO 

•     CD   O 

•      CO 

. 

t 

.    cL  o 

, 

CC     l-tj 

1904. 

Sept.  4 

Select  Jersey  Wake- 
field  Cabbage  .  .    . 

Brill. 

100 

8 

78 

Good,   strong 
vitality. 

Sept.  4 

Blood  Turnip  Beet  . 

Jones. 

100 

14 

23 

Slow;  no  good 

The  best  method  for  testing  is  in  earth  on  the  benches 
of  a  greenhouse  if  convenient;  if  not,  then  by  sowing 
the  seed  in  shallow  boxes  of  light  soil  in  fine  tilth  placed 
near  the  window  of  the  room  occupied.  Before  sow- 
ing, water  the  soil  thoroughly,  cover  seed  lightly  and 
spray  with  a  fine  rose  sprayer  or  Scollay  sprinkler. 
Seeds  like  asparagus,  okra  and  parsley  may  be  soaked 
to  advantage  from  12  to  24  hours  before  test  is  made 
in  soil. 

A  simple  way  to  test  seeds  which  germinate  readity 
is  to  place  them  between  moistened  layers  of  raw  cot- 
ton, flannel  cloth,  or  thick  blotting  paper,  which  are 


140  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

then  laid  between  two  dinner  plates  and  kept  in  a  warm 
room,  giving  proper  attention  to  keeping  the  layers 
moistened  as  necessary. 

To  pick  out  seeds  of  grasses  to  be  tested,  use  a  pane 
of  glass,  over  the  surface  of  which  lay  spread  thinly  the 
seeds,  which  have  previously  been  made  thoroughly 
wet.  The  glass  is  then  held  up  to  the  light,  and  the 
seeds  may  easily  be  picked  out  from  the  chaff  with  a 
forceps  and  counted. 

BEST  METHOD  FOR  KEEPING  SEEDS  IN  STORE. 

Seeds  are  best  kept  in  a  dry,  airy  room.  They  should 
not  be  placed  in  air-tight  vessels.  Cloth  sacks  are 
better  for  keeping  seeds  in  than  anything  else. 

The  best  way,  and  it  should  be  done  with  all  fine  seeds 
especially,  is  to  fill  the  sacks  about  half  full  (in  order 
to  handle  them  more  readily)  and  suspend  from  racks 
specially  made,  or  from  hooks  attached  to  the  ceiling 
rafters.  The  bags  should  not  lay  against  a  wall.  Hold- 
ing suspended  in  the  way  mentioned,  -will  permit  free 
circulation  of  air  about  the  bags,  and  render  safe  from 
mice. 

Unceasing  watchfulness  is  necessary  in  the  care  of 
seeds  to  preserve  from  damage  by  insects. 

Seeds  kept  in  drawers  and  bins  should  be  overhauled, 
particularly  during  the  warm  season,  and  if  there  are 
any  indications  of  insect  life,  such  as  lumpiness  or 
forming  in  small  balls,  etc. ,  the  seeds  should  be  taken 
out  and  given  a  cleaning  in  a  sieve  or  in  the  fan-mill. 
The  drawer  or  bin  should  also  be  carefully  cleaned  be- 
fore the  seeds  are  put  back. 

A  few  tar-balls  put  into  each  sack,  drawer  or  bin  will 
serve  measurably  to  drive  away  insects,  though  they  are 
not  a  sure  preventive.  See  directions  for  killing  weevil 
and  insects  in  seeds  in  article  on  pea-weevil  on  page  73. 


TRIAL   GROUND.  141 

TRIAL  GROUND. 

This  is  a  space  set  apart  in  a  field  in  which  to  test 
stocks  of  different  growers  to  see  whether  true  or  not; 
also  to  make  trial  of  new  varieties  to  observe  their 
merits  and  compare  with  other  sorts;  it  is  a  means,  too, 
for  detecting  fake  novelties.  Many  large  firms  devote 
considerable  acreage  to  their  trial  grounds,  making  trial 
of  every  lot  of  vegetable  and  flower  seeds  received  in 
store,  no  matter  by  whom  grown;  a  systematic  record 
being  kept  of  the  trials  for  subsequent  reference. 

The  usual  record  book  is  ruled  in  columns,  with 
appropriate  headings,  as  for  instance,  il  name  of  vari- 
ety," "  name  of  grower,"  "  date  seed  sown,"  "  date  of 
maturity,"  " remarks."  In  the  latter  column  are 
noted  "criticisms,"  whether  observed  to  be  true  to 
type  or  not,  differences  in  type,  whether  improvement 
or  not,  whether  meritorious  or  not,  etc. 

In  the  trial  grounds  the  amount  of  space  devoted  to 
each  variety  is  usually  a  single  row  12  feet  in  length;  the 
rows  of  each  class  (the  different  varieties  of  beet,  cab- 
bage, etc. )  being  ranged  alongside  each  other. 

The  variety  sown  or  on  trial  is  marked  by  a  large 
wooden  stake  or  label  driven  in  at  the  top  of  the  row, 
on  which  has  been  written  with  indelible  ink  the  record 
number  of  the  variety  with  its  name,  as  for  example. 
"  128  Select  Jersey  Wakefield  Cabbage,"  so  that  all  that 
will  be  necessary  when  results  are  to  be  noted  is  to  turn 
to  No.  128  in  the  record  book  (which  is  always  carried 
along  when  making  observations  in  the  trial  grounds), 
find  the  place  reserved  for  the  variety,  and  with  pencil 
make  the  record  at  once  in  the  field. 


142  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  DIFFERENT  VARIETIES 
OF  VEGETABLES,  INCLUDING  THE  VARIOUS 
SYNONYMS  OR  OTHER  TITLES  WHICH  MANY 
VARIETIES  BEAR  IN  THE  TRADE. 

ARTICHOKE. 

Large  Green  Globe — Heads  or  buds  measure  from 
3  to  5  inches  across,  nearly  round;  scales  deep-green, 
thick  and  fleshy,  pointed  at  the  tips. 

In  European  gardens  there  are  a  dozen  or  more  varieties  in 
various  favor,  but  in  America  only  the  above  sort  is  under  cultiva- 
tion, being  considered  the  best  of  all. 

ASPARAGUS. 

Conover's  Colossal,  or  Barr's  Mammoth,  Conover's 
Giant,  California  Mammoth,  Donald's  Elmira,  Giant 
Argenteuil.  Stalks  are  large;  many  an  inch  in  diam- 
eter. 

There  is  practically  but  one  variety  in  cultivation,  it  having  a 
number  of  synonyms  as  above.  It  is  undoubtedly  the  same  old 
variety  spoken  of  by  Pliny  as  being  under  cultivation  in  his  time  in 
Roman  gardens,  the  shoots  of  which  grew  so  fair  and  large  that 
three  would  weigh  a  pound.  The  coloring  of  the  heads  varies  with 
the  nature  of  the  soil;  in  heavy  loam,  dark  green  or  purplish  heads 
are  produced;  in  very  sandy  soil  the  heads  are  usually  light  green 
or  nearly  white. 

BEAN. 

Green  Pod  Varieties.— Best  of  All.  Seed  cream, 
streaked  with  dull  red;  medium  early;  pod  half  round, 
dashed  with  red. 

Brown  Valentine,  or  Refugee,  Thousand  to  One. 
Seed  brown  mottled;  early;  pod  round,  thick,  pale. 

Canadian  Wonder.      Seed  large,   slightly  flat,  deep 


BEAN.  143 

crimson  color;  hardy;  medium  early;  pod  long,  broad, 
flat. 

China  Red  Eye.  Seed  white,  spotted  purplish-red 
about  the  eye;  early;  hardy;  pod  straight,  flat. 

Dwarf  Horticultural,  or  Dwarf  Cherry,  Dwarf  Cran- 
berry, Dwarf  Marble,  Dwarf  Wren's  Egg,  Quail  Head, 
Scipio  Dwarf,  Speckled  Cranberry.  Seed  cream, 
streaked  with  dull  red;  medium  early;  pod  slightly 
curved,  streaked  with  red. 

Emperor  William,  or  Dwarf  Dutch  Case  Knife,  First 
in  Market,  Low's  Champion,  White  Scimeter.  Seed 
white,  flattened;  early;  pod  half-round,  sickle-shaped. 

Extra  Early  Refugee.  Seed  brown-mottled;  extra 
early,  pod  round,  thick,  lightish-green. 

Longfellow.  Seed  red-mottled;  early;  pod  round, 
thick,  straight. 

Long  Yellow  Six  Weeks,  or  Newton,  Rob  Roy.  Seed 
yellow;  early;  hardy;  pod  flat,  often  curved. 

Mohawk,  or  Brown  Six  Weeks.  Seed  variegated  with 
drab,  dull  purple  and  different  shades  of  brown;  early; 
hardy;  pod  broad  and  flat,  nearly  straight. 

Navy,  or  Boston  Pea,  Early  Marrow,  Snow  Flake, 
White  Soup.  Seed  small,  white;  pod  round. 

Red  Valentine,  or  Extra  Early  Red  Valentine,  Extra 
Early  Red  Round  Pod  Valentine,  Red  Marrow.  Seed 
red-mottled;  extra  early;  pod  round,  thick,  slightly 
curved. 

Round  Yellow  Six  Weeks,  or  Yellow  Cranberry. 
Seed  yellow;  early;  pod  thick,  slightly  curved. 

Stringless  Green  Pod.  Seed  brown;  extra  early; 
pod  round,  thick,  straight. 

White  Kidney,  or  Royal  Dwarf,  Stanton.  Seed 
white,  long;  pod  irregular. 

White   Marrow,  or  Large  White  Dwarf  Cranberry, 


144  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

Mountain,  Succotash.  Seed  white,  thick,  nearly  round; 
pod  flat. 

Wax  Pod  Varieties.— Crystal  Wax,  or  Ancient 
American,  Cabbage  Wax.  Seed  small  white;  early; 
pod  ivory  white,  round,  thick. 

Currie's  Rust  Proof  Wax.  Seed  large,  purplish  or 
brownish-black;  early;  pod  broad,  flat. 

Davis  Wax,  or  Ventura  Wonder.  Seed  white;  early; 
pod  straight,  half  flat. 

Detroit  Wax.  Seed  white,  deep  brown  around  the 
eye;  early;  pod  flat. 

Dwarf  German  Wax,  or  Butter  Wax,  Cylinder  Pod. 
Seed  small  black;  early;  pod  round,  curved. 

Golden  Eye  Wax.  Seed  white,  blotched  with  yel- 
low; early;  pod  straight,  flat. 

Golden  Wax,  or  Perfection  Wax,  Rust  Proof  Golden 
Wax.  Seed  white,  mottled  with  dark-brown  around 
the  eye;  early;  pod  straight,  flat. 

Red  Flageolet  Wax,  or  Crimson  Flageolet  Wax,  Scarlet 
Wax.  Seed  large,  purplish-red,  flattened;  medium 
early;  pod  pale  yellow,  long,  flat,  somewhat  curved. 

Refugee  Wax.  Seed  brown-speckled;  early;  pod 
bone  white,  round,  curved. 

Valentine  Wax.  Seed  red-mottled;  early;  pod  yel- 
low, round,  thick. 

WardelPs  Dwarf  Kidney  Wax.  Seed  white  with 
dashes  of  light  purple  about  the  eye;  early;  pod  yellow, 
broad;  flat. 

Pole  or  Climbing  Varieties.— Golden  Butter  Pole, 
or  Golden  Cluster  Wax,  Mont'  or  Wax.  Seed  white; 
pod  yellow,  long,  flat,  thick. 

Horticultural,  or  Housewives'  Delight,  Red  Speckled 
Cranberry,  Scipio  Pole,  Wren's  Egg.  Seed  cream, 
streaked  with  dull  red;  pod  medium,  slightly  curved, 
green  streaked  with  red. 


BEAN.  145 

Kentucky  Wonder,  or  Monstrous  Podded  Southern 
Prolific,  Old  Homestead,  Seek-no-Further,  Texas  Pro- 
lific. Seed  grayish  brown;  pod  green,  long,  thick. 

Lazy  Wives.  Seed  white;  pod  green,  long,  thick, 
broad. 

Red  Speckled  Cut  Short,  or  Corn  Field,  Corn  Hill. 
Seed  white  with  reddish-brown  dots;  pod  green,  med- 
ium, round. 

Scarlet  Runner.  Seed  lilac-purple  variegated  with 
black,  large;  pod  green,  long,  broad,  flat. 

Southern  Prolific.  Seed  grayish  brown;  pod  green, 
long,  thick. 

Tall  German  Wax,  or  Black  Algerian  Wax,  Black 
Butter  Pole,  Indian  Chief.  Seed  black;  pod  yellow, 
medium,  flat. 

White  Crease  Back,  or  Fat  Horse,  Mobile.  Seed 
small,  white;  early;  pod  green,  long,  round,  thick. 

White  Dutch  or  Case  Knife.  Seed  white;  pod  green, 
large,  flat. 

White  Runner.  Seed  pure  white,  thicker  than  the 
Scarlet  Runner,  of  which  this  is  a  variety;  pod  green, 
long,  broad,  flat. 

Yard  Long,  or  Asparagus,  Cuban  Asparagus,  French 
Asparagus,  Snake.  Seed  small,  cinnamon-brown;  pod 
pale  green,  round,  eighteen  to  twenty  inches  long. 

Lima  Sorts.— Burpee's  Dwarf  or  Bush,  or  Dwarf 
Large  White  Lima.  Seed  white,  flat;  pod  green,  same 
size  as  regular  Pole  Lima  strain. 

Carolina  or  Sewee.  Seed  white,  flat,  small;  early; 
pod  green,  short,  flat;  a  pole  variety. 

Dreer's  Bush  Lima,  or  Dwarf  Potato  Lima,  Kumerle, 
Thorburn.  Seed  plump,  white;  pod  green,  same  size 
as  Improved  Pole  Lima. 

Henderson's  Bush  Lima  or  Dwarf  Carolina.  Seed 
10 


146  THE  SEED-GROWER. 

white,  small;  very  early;  pod  green,  short,  flat.  There 
is  a  sub-variety,  seed  of  which  is  dull  white,  spotted 
and  streaked  with  purple. 

Improved  White  Pole  Lima,  or  Challenger,  Dreer's 
Lima,  Potato  Lima.  Seed  white,  plump;  pod  green, 
flat. 

Large  White  Lima,  or  Butter,  Early  Jersey  Lima, 
Jersey  Lima,  King  of  the  Garden.  Seed  white,  flat; 
the  well-known  Pole  Lima. 

BEET. 

Garden  Varieties. — Bassano  or  Extra  Early  Tur- 
nip. Extra  early;  pink,  globular  root,  flesh  white, 
circled  with  bright  pink;  foliage  green,  leaf -stems  green- 
ish-white, stained  with  red. 

Bastian's  Turnip,  or  Philadelphia  Early  Turnip, 
Simon's.  Early;  large,  turnip-formed  root;  flesh 
bright  red,  zoned  with  lighter  rings;  foliage  dark  green, 
with  red  stems  and  veins. 

Early  Blood  Red  Turnip,  or  Acme,  Arlington  Favor- 
ite, Early  Columbia,  Dewings,  Edmunds,  Market 
Gardener,  New  Crimson  Chief.  Early;  round,  blood- 
red  root  and  flesh;  foliage  deep  red,  sometimes  inclin- 
ing to  dark  green,  stems  and  veins  brilliant  red. 

Eclipse,  or  Detroit,  Dark  Red.  Extra  early;  round 
blood-red  root  and  flesh;  dark  foliage. 

Egyptian,  or  Crosby,  Excelsior,  Extra  Early  Turin. 
Extra  early;  improved  strain,  half  round,  dark  blood- 
red  root  and  flesh;  foliage  dark. 

Half  Long  Blood  Red.  Late;  wedge-shaped  root, 
dark  blood-red  flesh  and  foliage. 

Lentz,  or  Dark  Stinson,  Early  Forcing,  Electric,  Im- 
proved Arlington,  New  Surprise.  Extra  early;  round, 
dark  red  root,  flesh  crimson  with  rings  of  lighter  hue; 
foliage  dark  green  with  red  stems  and  veins. 


BROCCOLI.  147 

Long  Blood  Red  or  Ne  Plus  Ultra.  Late;  long, 
tapering  root;  skin,  flesh,  and  foliage  deep  red;  stems 
and  veins  blood-red. 

Swiss  Chard,  or  Silver  Beet,  Spanish  Spinach.  The 
leaves  are  medium  size,  erect,  pale  green  with  whitish 
ribs  and  veins. 

Cultivated  for  its  leaves  and  leaf  stalks,  the  former  being  used  as 
spinach,  the  latter  stewed  like  asparagus.  The  roots  are  tough  and 
fibrous  and  unfit  for  use. 

Field  Varieties. — Champion  Yellow  Intermediate 
Mangel  Wurtzel,  or  Gate  Post,  Golden  Giant,  Leviathan. 
Large  yellow  root,  flesh  white;  foliage  pale  green. 

Giant  Long  Red  Mangel  Wurtzel,  or  Colossal  Mon- 
arch, Norbiton  Giant,  Prize  Mammoth,  Saw  Log. 
Long  root,  moderately  even  in  form;  skin  and  flesh 
red;  leaves  green,  stems  green  stained  with  rose-red. 

Golden  Tankard  Mangel  Wurtzel.  Root  of  large 
diameter,  flesh  yellow;  foliage  pale  green. 

Klein  Wanzleben.  Conical,  straight  even  root,  broad 
at  the  shoulder  and  tapering;  skin  and  flesh  white; 
foliage  pale  green. 

Lane's  Imperial  Sugar.  Long,  smooth  root,  broad 
at  shoulder,  gradually  tapering;  flesh  white;  foliage 
pale  green. 

Vilmorin's  Improved  White  Sugar.  Long,  thick 
root;  skin  and  flesh  white;  foliage  pale  green. 

White  Silesian  Sugar,  or  White  French.  Long,  thick 
root;  skin  and  flesh  white;  foliage  clear  green. 

BROCCOLI. 

Large  Early  White — Tall,  erect,  dark  green  leaves; 
heads  very  white  and  close. 

Purple  Cape.     Close,  compact,  large  brownish -purple 


148  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

BRUSSELS  SPROUTS. 

Tall,  nearly  four  feet  in  height,  producing  small 
heads  in  great  abundance. 

CABBAGE. 

Bergen  Drumhead,  or  Buncombe,  Large  Bergen, 
Large  German  Drumhead,  Large  Late  Mountain,  Stone 
Mason.  Large  roundish  head,  slightly  flattened  at  the 
top;  leaves  glaucous-green  color,  firm,  thick  texture; 
short  stem;  late,  125  to  140  days. 

Danish  Ball  Head,  or  Amager,  Baseball,  Cannon 
Ball,  German  Export,  Hard  Heading,  Hollander, 
Luxemburg,  Solid  Emperor.  A  distinct  late  sort; 
medium-sized,  nearly  round,  hard,  solid  head,  of  most 
excellent  keeping  and  shipping  quality;  125  to  140  days. 

Drum  Head  Savoy,  or  Perfection  Savoy.  Large  flat- 
tened, roundish  head,  yellowish-green  at  the  center, 
leaves  of  which  are  sea-green,  wrinkled  or  crumpled; 
more  tender  and  delicate  in  flavor  than  the  smooth- 
leaved  sorts;  late,  125  to  140  days. 

Early  Flat  Dutch,  or  All  Seasons,  All  Year  Round; 
Chou  Bonneuil,  Early  All  Head,  Early  Drumhead, 
Early  Summer*  Eclipse,  Faultless,  Long  Island  Medium 
Flat  Dutch,  St.  Dennis,  Solid  South,  Southern  Cross. 
Early;  medium-sized  round  head,  flattened;  short  stem; 
100  to  115  days. 

Early  Jersey  Wakefield,  or  Little  Pixie,  Select  Early 
Jersey  Wakefield.  Small,  conical-shaped  head,  small 
stalk;  90  to  100  days. 

Early  Oxheart.  Less  than  medium-sized,  egg-shaped 
head;  short  stalk;  100  to  115  days. 

Early  Spring,  or  Flat  Parisian.  Small,  flat,  round- 
ish head;  90  to  100  days. 

Early  Winnigstadt,    or  Early  Cone,    Pointed  Head, 


CABBAGE.  149 

Quedlinburg  Winnigstadt.  Intermediate  early;  large 
conical-shaped  head;  100  to  115  days;  an  excellent 
shipping  variety. 

Early  York.  Small,  roundish  head;  short  stem;  90 
to  100  days. 

Etampes,  or  Advance,  Earliest  Express,  First  Early, 
Henderson's  Premium,  Lightning,  Wonderful.  Small, 
conical-shaped  head;  80  to  90  days. 

Green  Curled  Savoy.  Medium-sized,  yellowish- 
green  head,  nearly  round,  somewhat  pointed  at  the 
top;  110  to  120  days. 

Green  Glazed.  Large  head,  loose  and  open;  long 
stalk;  leaves  varnished  or  glossy,  shining  green;  resists 
the  attacks  of  worms,  fleas  and  caterpillars  better  than 
other  sorts;  110  to  120  days. 

Large  Late  Flat  Dutch,  or  Bloomsdale  Large  Late 
Flat  Dutch,  Danish  ditto,  Excelsior  ditto,  Market 
Gardeners'  ditto,  Matchless  ditto,  Premium  ditto,  Silver 
Leaf  ditto,  Superb  ditto,  Acme,  Autumn  King,  Chicago 
Market  Garden,  Colossal  Hundred  Weight,  Large  Late 
Drum  Head,  Marblehead  Mammoth,  Sure  Head,  World 
Beater.  Heavy,  broad,  rounded  solid  head,  flattened 
at  the  top;  short  stem;  color  bluish  green;  125  to  140 
days. 

The  old  type  staple  late  variety.  Introduced  here  from  Europe 
by  the  first  settlers;  not  yet  improved  on;  as  seen  above,  has  many 
synonyms. 

Large  Wakefield,  or  Charleston  Wakefield,  Long 
Island  Beauty.  Conical-shaped  head,  larger  and  later 
than  the  Early  Jersey  Wakefield;  100  to  115  days. 

Large  York.  Medium-sized,  roundish  head;  short 
stem;  100  to  115  days. 

Louisville  Early  Drum  Head,  or  Deep  Head,  Eclipse, 
Florida  Header,  New  Hard  Head,  Reedland  Early 


150  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

Drum  Head.  Less  than  medium-sized,  roundish  head, 
flattened  at  the  top;  90  to  100  days. 

Mammoth  Red  Rock.  Large  red  or  purple  roundish 
head;  125  to  140  days. 

Red  Dutch,  or  Early  Dark-Red  Erfurt,  Red  Rock. 
Medium-sized  red  or  purple  roundish  head;  110  to  115 
days;  this  and  the  preceding  are  generally  used  for 
pickling. 

Vandergaw's  Early  Drum  Head,  or  Bloomsdale 
Early  Drum  Head,  Succession,  Volga.  Intermediate 
early;  medium-sized,  roundish,  flattened  head;  100  to 
115  days. 

CARDOON. 

Tours. — Ribs  large  and  solid;  considered  the  most 
tender  and  delicate  .variety. 

CARROT. 

Early  Scarlet  Horn  Half  Long.  Root  medium- 
sized,  cylindrical,  pointed;  flesh  reddish-orange,  heart 
small;  55  days. 

Early  Scarlet  Short  Horn,  or  Bellot.  Root  four  to 
five  inches,  somewhat  oval,  smooth,  fine-grained; 
orange-red;  45  days. 

French  Earliest  Short  Horn,  or  Early  Round  Parisian, 
Extra  Early  French  Forcing,  Golden  Ball.  Small, 
almost  globular  root,  about  two  inches;  orange-red;  40 
days. 

Half  Long  Scarlet,  or  Chautenay.  Short,  thick, 
stump-rooted;  orange;  60  days. 

Long  Orange,  or  Altringham,  Intermediate,  Long 
Red  Surrey,  Victoria.  Thick  at  shoulder,  tapering, 
twelve  to  fourteen  inches  long  ;  reddish-orange,  heart 
pale  yellow;  70  days. 


CAULIFLOWER.  151 

Long  Red  Coreless.     Half  long,  red-fleshed;  55  days. 

Nantes.  Medium  size;  cylindrical,  with  a  blunt 
point,  red,  coreless;  60  days. 

Orange  Danvers,  or  Rubicon  Half  Long.  Cylindri- 
cal, stump-rooted,  broad-shouldered,  medium  large, 
dark  orange;  65  days. 

Ox-heart,  or  Early  Gem,  Guerande.  Root  four  to 
six  inches  long,  diameter  three  inches,  very  blunt  at 
apex;  flesh  orange-red,  heart  yellow;  55  days. 

St.  Valery.  Broad-shouldered,  two  and  three-quart- 
ers to  three  inches  across,  tapering,  ten  to  twelve  inches 
long,  reddish-orange;  70  days. 

White  Belgian.  The  largest  carrot;  sixteen  to  eigh- 
teen inches  length;  four  inches  diameter;  coarse  flesh. 

White  Vosges,  or  White  Giant.  White,  late,  broad- 
shouldered,  six  to  eight  inches,  tapering  quickly. 

Yellow  Belgian.  Similar  to  White  Belgian,  except 
in  outside  color,  which  is  green  above  ground,  yellow 
below;  late;  15  to  18  inches  in  length,  nearly  3  inches 
in  diameter. 

CAULIFLOWER. 

Algiers,  or  Reliable.  Late;  large  dark-green  leaves, 
short  stem ;  big,  solid  white  head. 

Dwarf  Earliest  Erfurt,  or  Early  Snow  Ball,  Alabaster, 
Best  Early,  Early  Copenhagen,  First,  Ideal,  Long  Island 
Beauty,  Prize  Earliest,  Seafoam.  Good-sized  head, 
pure  white;  stalk  medium  length,  leaves  long  and  nar- 
row, 90  to  100  days. 

Early  Dwarf  Erfurt.  Similar  to  the  preceding,  but 
larger  and  later. 

Extra  Early  Paris,  or  Nonpareil.  Dwarf;  medium 
size,  pure  white  head. 

Lenormands.  Late  variety;  large  handsome  head, 
about  nine  inches  across. 


152  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

Veitch's  Autumn  Giant.  Late,  vigorous,  well  pro- 
tected by  foliage;  large,  compact,  white  head. 

CELERY. 

Boston  Market.  Dwarf  spreading;  leaf  stalks  short 
and  stout;  leaflets  dark-green,  heart  solid,  white. 

Celeriac.  Produces  a  large,  solid,  brownish,  irregular 
root  or  tuber,  three  to  .four  inches  in  diameter.  This 
is  the  edible  portion. 

Dwarf  White  Solid,  or  Kalamazoo.  Dwarf,  compact; 
leaflets  small,  pale  green;  stalks  broad,  thick,  crisp; 
heart  solid,  pure  white. 

Giant  Pascal,  or  Winter  King.  Stalks  of  the  largest 
size;  leaf  stalks  long  and  thick,  leaflets  dark-green  and 
thick;  heart  solid  and  thick-set. 

Golden  Heart,  or  Crawford's  Half  Dwarf,  Golden 
Dwarf,  Henderson's  Half  Dwarf.  Dwarf,  compact; 
stalks  broad;  heart  solid,  and  when  blanched  remark- 
able for  the  light-yellow  color  of  stalks  and  leaves. 

Large  White.  Compact,  robust,  about  two  feet  high; 
leaflets  broad;  thick  heart. 

Paris  Golden  Yellow,  or  Golden  Self-Blanching. 
Like  White  Plume,  to  a  certain  extent  is  self-blanching. 
Dwarf,  stocky  habit;  solid  stalks;  as  the  plant  ap- 
proaches maturity  the  inner  stems  and  leaves  assume  a 
light-golden  hue. 

Paris  Red  Ribbed.  A  sport  of  the  preceding,  but 
dwarfer  in  habit;  thick  leaflets  with  yellow  specks  in 
them,  the  stems  shaded  with  red. 

Pink  Plume.  Similar  to  the  White  Plume,  but  hav- 
ing reddish-colored  stalks. 

White  Plume  or  Self  Blanching.  To  a  certain  extent 
it  is  self -blanching;  central  leaflets  turning  light  color 
and  sometimes  becoming  nearly  pure  white  at  maturity. 


CORN.  153 

It,  however,  requires  to  be  earthed  up  as  with  other 
varieties  to  produce  desired  results. 

CHERVIL. 
Curled. — Foliage  delicately  and  beautifully  frilled. 

CHICORY. 

Large  Rooted  or  Barbe  de  Capuchin.  Deep  green 
leaves,  long,  fleshy  roots,  measuring  when  well-grown 
12  to  14  inches  in  length,  about  one  inch  in  diameter 
at  their  thickest  part. 

COLLARD. 

Georgia,  or  Cabbage,  Creole,  Improved  White 
Georgia,  Silver,  Southern  Curled.  Cultivated  exten- 
sively in  the  Southern  States  for  cabbage  greens.  Grows 
from  two  to  three  feet  high,  with  a  mass  of  leaves 
which  do  not  head;  the  central  leaves  sometimes  form 
a  sort  of  rosette. 

CORN. 

Garden  Varieties. — Adams'  Early  or  Burlington. 
Not  a  sugar  corn;  but  an  early,  dwarf,  small-eared  dent 
variety,  which  on  account  of  its  hardiness  can  be 
planted  much  earlier  than  sugar  varieties;  height  of 
stalk  six  feet;  70  te  75  days. 

Asylum,  or  Darling's,  Early  Mammoth,  Triumph. 
Large  ear,  white  cob,  deep  grain;  75  to  80  days. 

Black  Mexican,  or  Squaw.  Eight-rowed,  bluish- 
purple  grain;  75  to  80  days. 

Country  Gentleman,  or  Little  Gem,  Ne  Plus  Ultra, 
Quaker  Sweet,  Shoe  Peg.  Large  ear,  white  cob,  nar- 
row deep  grain,  irregularly  set  on  cob;  75  to  80  days. 

Egyptian,  or  Washington  Market.  Largo  enr,  broad, 
deep  grain;  90  to  95  days. 


154  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

Extra  Early  Adams.  Not  a  sugar  corn;  a  sub- 
variety  of  the  Adams'  Early;  earlier  than  it,  smaller 
ea.r;  height  of  stalk  four  feet;  65  days. 

Extra  Early  Cory,  or  First  of  All.  Eight- rowed; 
small  ear,  red  grain;  60  to  65  days. 

Extra  Early  Crosby,  or  Boston  Market.  Twelve- 
rowed;  small  ear,  white  grain;  70  to  75  days. 

Extra  Early  Minnesota.  Eight-rowed;  small  ear, 
white  grain;  65  to  70  days. 

Extra  Early  Narragansett,  or  Marblehead.  Eight- 
rowed;  small  ear;  red  grain;  65  to  70  days. 

Golden  Sugar,  or  Brighton,  Early  Orange,  Golden 
Bantam,  Golden  Coin,  Golden  Sweet.  Eight-rowed, 
short  ear,  yellow  grain;  65  to  70  days. 

Imitation  Sugar,  or  Early  Market,  First  in  Market, 
Southern  Roasting  Ear.  A  hybrid  between  Adams' 
Early  and  Sugar  Corn;  hardy;  matures  in  about  80 
days. 

Kendall's  Early  Giant.  Ten  to  twelve-rowed;  ears 
about  eight  inches  long;  white  cob;  65  to  70  days. 

Late  Mammoth.  Large  ear,  broad,  deep  grain;  85 
to  90  days. 

Mammoth  White  Cory.  Twelve-rowed;  small  ear, 
white  grain ;  65  to  70  days. 

Old  Colony,  or  Excelsior,  Landreth,  Squantum. 
Twelve-rowed;  large  ear,  white  cob,  deep  grain;  75  to 
80  days.  An  old  variety  originated  about  fifty  years 
ago. 

Perry's  Hybrid,  or  Chicago  Market.  Twelve-  to  four- 
teen-rowed;  large  ear,  white  cob;  75  to  80  days. 

Stowell's  Evergreen.  Large  ear,  white  cob,  deep, 
sugary  grain;  80  to  85  days.  Remains  a  long  time  in 
fresh  condition,  hence  its  name;  an  old  variety  without 
superior. 


CUCUMBER.  155 

White  Evergreen.  Large  ear,  white  cob,  deep,  very 
white  grained;  80  to  85  days. 

Zig  Zag  Evergreen.  Similar  to  Stowell's  Evergreen 
except  that  grains  are  irregularly  set  on  cob;  75  to  80 
days. 

Except  those  noted  otherwise  in  the  description,  the  foregoing  are 
all  sugar  corns. 

CORN  SALAD. 

Known  also  as  Lamb's  Lettuce,  or  Fetticus  and  Vet- 
ticost. 

Broad  -  leaved,  large-seeded.  There  are  several 
sorts,  but  this  is  the  only  one  cultivated  in  America. 

CRESS  OR  PEPPER  GRASS. 

Curled. — Dwarf,  compact;  leaves  feathered  like 
parsley. 

Golden  Yellow,  or  Australian.  Dwarf;  yellowish- 
green,  broad-leaved;  mild  in  flavor. 

Upland,  or  American,  Land.  Hardy,  perennial; 
similar  to  water  cress  in  form  of  leaf  and  taste. 

Water.     Hard}^,  aquatic,  perennial;  leaves  rounded. 

CUCUMBER. 

Cumberland. — Large  vine;  long  fruit  with  rough- 
ened surface,  dark  green,  white  spines. 

Early  Frame,  or  Early  Cluster,  Evergreen,  Short 
Green,  Westerfield  Chicago  Pickling.  Medium-vined; 
fruit  about  5  inches  long,  2  to  2J  inches  in  diameter 
when  matured  for  slicing;  green  ripening  yellow,  black 
spines.  Very  old  variety. 

Early  Russian,  or  Extra  Early  Seedling,  Extra  Early 
Siberian,  Ever  Bearing  New  Siberian.  Small,  short- 
jointed  vine,  bearing  usually  in  pairs  small  fruit  three 


156  THE  SEED-GROWER. 

to  four  inches  in  length;  green  ripening  to  dark  red- 
dish-yellow, black-spined;  prolific;  a  week  earlier  than 
any  other  sort. 

Ford  Hook  Famous.  Large  vine;  fruit  long,  smooth, 
dark  green  with  white  spine. 

Gherkin,  or  Burr,  Round  Prickly,  West  India.  A 
native  of  tropical  America.  Small,  slender  vine,  small 
foliage;  fruit  abundant,  two  to  three  inches  in  length, 
oval  form,  thickly  set  with  spines. 

Long  Green.  Large  vine;  fruit  large  and  long,  green 
ripening  yellow,  black  spines. 

Long  Green  Turkey.  Large  vine;  fruit  15  to  18 
inches  in  length;  form  long  and  slender,  usually  solid 
near  the  stem;  seeds  sparsely;  skin  deep  green,  ripen- 
ing a  reddish-yellow,  black  spines;  excellent  for  pickles. 

Nichol's  Medium  Green,  or  California  Pickle.  Me- 
dium, large  vine;  fruit  medium  large,  about  twice  as 
long  as  thick;  dark  green  ripening  yellow,  black  spines. 

Short  Prolific,  or  Boston  Market,  Boston  Pickling, 
Chicago  Pickling,  Early  Green  Prolific,  Extra  Early 
Green  Prolific,  Jersey  Pickle,  Prize  Taker.  Small  vine; 
fruit  smaller  than  Early  Frame,  averaging  four  to  five 
inches  in  length  when  matured  enough  for  slicing; 
green  ripening  yellow,  black  spines. 

White  Spine,  or  Arlington  White  Spine,  Bennett's 
White  Spine,  Perfection  White  Spine,  Early  White 
Spine,  Evergreen  White  Spine,  Fordhook  White  Spine, 
Improved  White  Spine,  Peerless  White  Spine,  Bismarck, 
Commercial  Pickle.  Medium  vine;  fruit  about  6  inches 
long,  2J  inches  in  diameter;  deep  green  with  white 
spines;  as  it  ripens  the  skin  gets  paler,  and  when  fully 
ripe  it  is  nearly  white. 


KALE.  157 

DANDELION. 

Cabbaging. — Leaves  fully  double  the  size  of  the 
common  dandelion. 

French.  Broader  leaves  than  the  preceding,  less 
curly. 

EGGPLANT. 

Large  Spineless  Purple,  or  New  Jersey,  New 
Orleans  Market,  New  York  Purple.  Large,  round, 
smooth,  glossy,  deep  purple  skin. 

Black  Pekin.  Similar  in  form  to  the  preceding;  skin 
jet  black. 

White.  Also  similar  in  form  to  the  Large  Purple; 
skin  creamy  white;  in  Europe  the  white  skin  sorts 
have  the  preference. 

ENDIVE. 

Green  Curled,  or  White  Curled,  Moss  Curled. 
Leaves  much  cut  and  curled;  heart  leaves  full  and  close. 

Broad-leaved,  or  Batavian,  Escorolle,  Lettuce-leaved. 
Leaves  yellowish-green,  long  and  broad,  edges  some- 
what ragged. 

KALE. 

Asparagus,  or  New  Orleans  Broad  Leaf.  Dwarf; 
broad,  greyish-green  leaves,  slightly  curled  at  the  edges; 
stalks  of  the  leaves  have  almost  the  flavor  of  asparagus. 

Dwarf  Curled  Scotch,  or  Dwarf  German,  Cottagers, 
German  Greens,  Siberian,  Sprouts,  Winter.  Dwarf, 
spreading;  bright  green,  finely  curled  leaves. 

Dwarf  German  Purple,  or  Dwarf  Brown  Purple. 
Similar  to  the  preceding,  except  in  color  which  is  deep 
purple. 

Jersey,  or  Cow  or  Tree.  Grows  to  a  height  of  six 
feet  or  even  taller.  Leaves  large,  from  2|-  to  3  feet  in 


158  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

length,  smooth  or  but  slightly  curled;  usually  grown 
for  stock,  but  the  young  sprouts  are  mild  and  tender 
for  cooking. 

Sea  Kale.  A  perennial,  propagated  from  seeds  or 
roots.  Leaves  are  large,  thick,  roundish,  smooth,  in 
color  bluish-green;  young  shoots  when  from  3  to  9 
inches  long  are  blanched  and  used. 

Tall  Green  Curled  Scotch.  Height  two  to  four  feet, 
curly  dark-green  leaves. 

Tall  Purple  Curled  Scotch.  Similar  to  tall  green, 
except  in  color  which  is  deep  purple. 

KOHL  RABI. 

Early  Green  Vienna,  or  Early  White  Vienna. 
Light  green  bulb,  short-leaved;  matures  for  table  use  in 
70  to  80  days. 

Early  Purple  Vienna.  Similar  to  the  preceding,  ex- 
cept in  color. 

Large  Green,  or  Large  White.  Bulb  much  larger 
than  the  early  sort;  matures  for  table  use  in  from  90  to 
110  days. 

LEEK. 

Large  London,  or  Broad  Flag,  Large  Flag.  Tall, 
thick  stems  about  4  inches  in  length,  1J-  inches  in 
diameter;  broad  leaves. 

Large  Musselberg,  or  Carentan,  Scotch  Champion, 
Scotch  Flag.  Stems  tall,  reaching  six  to  eight  inches 
in  length,  two  to  three  inches  in  diameter;  very  broad 
leaves. 

Large  Rouen,  or  American.  Thick,  short  stem, 
under  strong  cultivation  grows  four  inches  in  diameter; 
fan-shaped  dark  green  leaves. 


LETTUCE.  159 

LETTUCE. 

There  are  three  general  types  of  lettuce:  (a)  Cabbage 
Leaved;  leaves  broad,  rounded,  more  or  less  wrinkled, 
and  in  some  varieties  much  curled,  overlapping  each 
other,  forming  a  head  like  cabbage,  (b)  Cut  Leaved; 
leaves  long,  loosely  spreading  and  irregularly  cut  on  the 
edges,  (c)  Cos  Leaved;  leaves  spatulate,  much  longer 
than  broad;  forming  a  conical-shaped  upright  plant, 
from  one  to  two  feet  in  height. 

Cabbage-leaved  Varieties. — Big  Boston,  or  All- 
right,  Big  Head,  Chesterfield,  Giant  White  Forcing, 
Houston  Market,  Red  Edge,  Trocadero.  Was  intro- 
duced from  France  under  the  name  of  Trocadero. 
Seed  is  whitish;  compact,  broad,  hard  head;  leaves 
broad,  mostly  smooth;  color,  light,  dull  green,  nar- 
rowly edged  with  light  brown;  matures  in  about  80 
days. 

Brown  Dutch,  or  Brown  Ginco,  Brown  Batavia. 
Seed  blackish;  medium  sized,  firm  head;  leaves  broad, 
somewhat  blistered  and  crumpled;  color,  medium  dull 
green,  tinged  with  dull  faint  brown,  sometimes  a  de- 
cided brown  in  blotches;  80  days. 

Buttercup,  or  Golden  Ball,  Mich  ell's  Very  Best. 
Seed  whitish;  medium-sized  firm  head;  leaves  broad, 
somewhat  blistered  and  crumpled,  flat  at  edges;  color 
very  light-green,  never  spotted  in  any  part;  80  days. 

California  Cream  Butter,  or  Beckert's  Golden,  Blonde 
Beauty,  Early  Spring,  Large  Passion,  Philadelphia 
Butter,  Spotted  Passion,  Summer  Drumhead,  Treasure. 
Seed  brownish-black;  large,  very  firm  head;  leaves 
broad,  somewhat  blistered  and  crumpled,  flat  at  edges; 
color  dark-green,  freely  spotted  with  brown;  80  days. 

Cold  Frame  White  Cabbage.  Seed  whitish;  medium- 
sized,  firm  head;  leaves  broad,  somewhat  blistered  and 


160  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

crumpled,  flat  at  edges;  color  medium-green,  tinged  in 
places  with  light-brown;  75  days. 

Deacon,  or  Colossal,  Golden  Gate,  Golden  Heart, 
Largest  of  All,  Large  Drumhead,  Norfolk  Royal  Cab- 
bage, Russian,  San  Francisco  Market,  St.  Louis  Butter, 
Summer  Gem,  Summer  Queen  Drumhead,  Sunlight, 
Triumph,  White  Russian.  Seed  whitish;  large,  fairly 
compact  head;  leaves  broad,  peculiarly  smooth;  color 
light  grayish-green,  unspotted  and  untinged;  75  days. 

Defiance,  or  Always  Ready,  Slow  Seeder,  Standwell. 
Seed  whitish;  large,  firm  head;  leaves  broad,  some- 
what blistered  and  crumpled ;  color  medium-green, 
tinged  light-brown  in  places;  80  days. 

Denver  Market,  or  Early  Ohio,  Golden  Forcing, 
Sutton's  Favorite,  Weber's  Curled.  Seed  whitish; 
large,  somewhat  soft  head;  leaves  excessively  blistered 
and  crumpled,  frilled  at  borders;  color  very  light-green, 
unspotted;  80  days. 

Golden  Queen,  or  Stone  Head  Golden  Yellow.  Seed 
whitish;  small  head ;  leaves  broad,  blistered  and 
crumpled;  color  very  light-green,  unspotted  and  un- 
tinged; 65  days. 

Hanson,  or  Excelsior,  Gardener's  Favorite,  Los  An- 
geles Market,  Mastodon,  Montreal  Market.  Seed 
whitish ;  large,  hard  head ;  leaves  broad,  somewhat 
blistered  and  crumpled,  borders  frilled;  color  very  light- 
green,  unspotted;  90  days. 

Hubbard's  Market,  or  Early  Challenge,  Early  White 
Butter,  Early  Market,  Early  White  Cabbage,  French 
Market,  Gold  Nugget,  St.  Louis  Market.  Seed  whit- 
ish ;  large,  very  firm  head ;  leaves  broad,  somewhat 
blistered  and  crumpled,  color  medium-green,  unspotted; 
70  days. 

Malta,   or  Drum  Head.     Seed   whitish;  very  large, 


LETTUCE.  161 

fairly  compact  head;  leaves  short,  spatulate  in  shape, 
slightly  but  coarsely  blistered  and  crumpled,  borders 
coarsely  frilled;  color  very  light-green,  unspotted;  90 
days. 

Maximum,  or  Immensity,  Leviathan,  Matchless, 
Midsummer,  Summerlead,  Superba.  Seed  brownish- 
black;  very  large,  fairly  firm  head;  leaves  broad,  fairly 
smooth,  slightly  blistered  and  crumpled,  borders  plain; 
color  dark  green,  spotted  and  tinged  with  dark  brown; 
90  days. 

Mignonette,  or  Delicate.  Seed  blackish;  small,  ex- 
tremely hard  head;  leaves  broad,  much  blistered  and 
crumpled,  borders  frilled;  color  dull  dark  brown  with 
dull  dark  green  in  less  exposed  parts;  70  days. 

New  York,  or  Bonanza,  Basting's  Drum  Head,  New 
Ice,  Nonpareil,  Wonderful.  Seed  whitish;  extremely 
large,  very  hard  head ;  leaves  broad,  somewhat  blistered 
and  crumpled,  borders  frilled;  color  dark  green,  un- 
spotted; 90  days. 

Red  Besson,  or  Bronzed  Red,  Continuity.  Seed 
blackish;  large,  loosely  formed  head;  leaves  broad, 
much  blistered  and  crumpled,  borders  'plain,  color 
brilliant  brown  interspersed  with  bright  green;  stem 
and  base  of  midribs  pink;  80  days. 

Reichner,  or  Early  White  Butter,  Florida  Header, 
Mongolian,  Neapolitan  Sash,  Rochester  Market,  Silver 
Ball,  Waldorf,  Yellow  Queen.  Seed  whitish;  medium 
sized,  very  compact  head;  leaves  broad,  somewhat  blis- 
tered and  crumpled,  borders  plain;  color  light  green, 
unspotted;  65  days. 

Speckled  Dutch  Butter,  or  Brown  Speckled  Dutch 
Butter,  Virginia  Solid  Header.  Seed  whitish;  medium- 
sized  hard  head;  leaves  broad,  blistered  and  crumpled, 
borders  undulate;  color  medium  green,  distinctly 
11 


162  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

spotted  and  faintly  tinged  in  places  with  brown;  70 
days. 

Tennis  Ball,  Black  Seeded,  or  All  Heart,  All  Year 
Round,  Baltimore  Cabbage,  Black  Seeded  Summer, 
Bloomsdale  Butter,  Eclipse,  Everlasting,  Hard  Head, 
Long  Island  Winter,  Market  Gardener's  Private  Stock, 
Ninety  and  Nine,  Salamander,  Satisfaction,  Sensation, 
Twentieth  Century,  White  Peach.  Of  European  origin ; 
known  in  America  for  more  than  half  a  century. 
Medium  sized,  very  hard  head,  leaves  broad,  much 
blistered  and  crumpled,  borders  plain;  color  light  green, 
unspotted,  75  days. 

Tennis  Ball,  White  Seeded,  or  Boston  Market,  Ideal. 
Like  the  preceding,  an  old  sort.  Small,  very  hard 
head;  leaves  broad,  blistered  and  crumpled,  borders 
plain;  color  medium  green,  sometimes  brownish  in 
large  areas,  but  never  distinctly  spotted;  60  days. 

Wheeler's  Tom  Thumb,  or  Landredth's  Forcing. 
Seed  blackish;  small,  hard  head;  leaves  broad,  much 
blistered  and  crumpled,  borders  undulate;  color  dark 
green,  unspotted  with  brown;  70  days. 

Yellow-Seeded  Perpignan,  or  Bloomsdale  Early 
Summer,  Champion,  Creole,  Reliable,  Stubborn  Header, 
Waite's  Summer  Cabbage.  Seed  yellowish;  medium- 
sized,  very  compact  head;  leaves  broad,  much  blistered 
and  crumpled,  borders  plain;  80  days. 

Cut  or  Loose-leaved  Varieties. — Black-Seeded 
Simpson,  or  Constitution,  Earliest  of  All,  Earliest  Forc- 
ing, First  Early.  Seed  blackish;  crisp,  broad  leaves, 
frilled  borders;  color  very  light  green,  unspotted;  80 
days. 

Boston  Curled.  Seed  blackish;  crisp,  broad  leaves, 
excessively  frilled  borders;  color  medium-green,  un- 
spotted; 70  days. 


MELON.  163 

Early  Curled  Simpson,  or  Curled  Silesia,  Crisp  and 
Tender,  Lacrosse  Market,  Perpetual.  Seed  whitish; 
crisp,  large  blistered,  crumpled  leaves;  color  very  light- 
green,  unspotted;  75  days. 

Grand  Rapids.  Seed  blackish;  crisp,  short,  spatu- 
late  leaves,  excessively  blistered  and  crumpled,  borders 
excessively  frilled;  color  very  light-green;  unspotted; 
70  days. 

Prize  Head,  or  American  Gathering,  Brown  Curled, 
Cincinnati  Market  Gardeners,  Ice  Drum  Head,  Onon- 
daga,  Peer  of  All.  Seed  whitish;  crisp,  short,  spatu- 
late,  much  blistered  and  crumpled  leaves,  borders 
deeply  and  excessively  frilled;  color  bright  brown, 
varying  to  bright  green  in  less  exposed  parts;  80  days. 

Cos-leaved  Varieties. — Paris  White,  or  Green  Cos, 
Heat  Resisting  Cos,  Long  Loaf,  Romaine,  Self-Closing 
Cos,  Triannon  Cos.  Seed  whitish;  large  crisp  leaves, 
thick,  stiff,  self-folding,  closely  but  not  tightly  overlap- 
ping; color  very  dark-green,  unspotted;  85  days. 

Red  Winter.  Seed  brownish;  large,  crisp,  thick, 
stiff,  fairly  self-closing  leaves,  loosely  overlapping  one 
another;  color  deep,  bright  brown,  unexposed  parts 
bright  green;  85  days. 

MELON. 

Musk  or  Cantaloupe  Varieties. — Acme,  or  Anne 
Arundel,  Atlantic  City,  Baltimore,  Baltimore  Market. 
Medium-sized,  oval  in  form,  slightly  pointed  at  both 
ends;  heavily  netted  and  ribbed;  green  flesh. 

Banana.  Long  form,  thirteen  to  eighteen  inches  in 
length,  two  to  four  inches  in  thickness;  smooth,  pale- 
green  skin,  without  ribs,  looking  curiously  like  a 
banana;  flesh  yellow,  blending  from  green  to  salmon. 

California,  or  San  Joaquin.     Large  size,  round  form, 


164  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

slightly  flattened  at  ends;  heavily  ribbed  and  netted; 
flesh  deep  yellow  or  orange. 

Columbus.  Large  size,  round  form;  green  flesh; 
skin  buff-colored,  covered  with  thick,  whitish  netting, 
almost  entirely  free  from  ribs  or  seams. 

Emerald  Gem.  Small  size,  round  form,  flattened  at 
the  ends;  flesh  salmon-colored;  skin  smooth,  emerald- 
colored;  ribs  marked,  not  deeply  seamed. 

Extra  Early  Hackensack,  or  Arlington,  Champion, 
Chicago  Market,  Early  Cape  May,  Superb.  Early, 
roundish,  flattened  at  both  ends;  heavily  ribbed  and 
netted;  flesh  green. 

Green  Persian,  or  Bay  View,  Cassaba,  Giant  of  Col- 
orado. Large  size,  oblong,  twelve  to  fifteen  inches  in 
length,  heavily  ribbed  and  netted;  skin  green,  flesh 
light  green. 

Hackensack,  or  Turk's  Cap.  Similar  to  the  extra 
early  Hackensack,  but  larger  and  a  week  or  ten  days 
later.  The  synonym,  Turk's  Cap,  somewhat  describes 
the  form  of  both  varieties. 

Jenny  Lind,  or  Extra  Early  June,  Jersey  Belle. 
Early,  small  size,  rather  flattened  in  form,  heavily 
ribbed  and  netted;  flesh  green. 

Long  Island  Beauty,  or  California  Beauty.  An  im- 
proved type  of  the  large  Hackensack;  large  size,  round 
in  form,  much  flattened  at  both  ends;  heavily  ribbed 
and  netted;  flesh  green. 

Montreal,  or  Outremont  Beauty.  Very  large  size, 
round  in  form,  slightly  flattened  at  the  ends,  broad 
heavy  ribs;  dark  green  skin,  heavily  netted;  flesh  light 
green. 

Netted  Gem,  or  Alamo,  Colorado,  Dewey  Gem, 
Golden  Gem,  Golden  Jennie,  Rocky  Ford.  Small  size, 
slightly  oval  in  form;  heavily  ribbed  and  netted;  flesh 


MELON.  165 

light   green;    skin    light    yellowish    hue   when    fully 
ripened. 

First  introduced  as  Netted  Gem,  but  now  more  commonly  known 
as  Rocky  Ford. 

Nutmeg,  or  Green  Citron.  Medium-sized,  oval  in 
form;  flattened  ends;  heavily  ribbed  and  netted;  flesh 
green,  skin  green. 

Osage,  or  Miller's  Cream,  Salmon  and  Green.  Med- 
ium size;  slightly  oval  form,  rounded  ends ;  lightly 
ribbed  and  netted;  skin  dark-green,  flesh  deep  orange. 

Paul  Rose,  or  Petoskey.  Small  size;  slightly  oblong 
form,  heavily  ribbed  and  netted;  flesh  deep  salmon- 
colored,  skin  light-green  or  faint  golden  when  ripe. 

White  Japan,  or  Surprise.  Medium-sized,  round 
form;  flesh  cream  color ;  skin  smooth,  white,  and 
seldom  netted. 

Winter  Casaba,  or  Santa  Claus,  Winter  Pineapple. 
Large  size,  round  form,  pointed  at  stem  end,  flattened 
at  the  other;  smooth  corrugated  skin,  yellowish-green 
in  color;  flesh  light-green.  Possesses  none  of  the  com- 
mon Musk  Melon  odor;  seldom  ripens  on  the  vine,  but 
may  be  stored  in  a  cool,  dry  place  or  cellar  and  allowed 
to  ripen  like  winter  pears;  keeps  long. 

Water  Varieties.  Alabama  Sweet.  Large  size, 
oblong  form;  thin  dark  green  rind;  flesh  deep-red, 
crisp;  seed  white. 

Arkansas  Traveler,  or  Santiago.  Large  size,  long 
form;  thin,  tough  rind  in  color  dark-green  with  stripes 
of  darker  shade;  flesh  deep  red;  seed  drab. 

Black  Spanish.  Large  size,  nearly  round  form;  dark 
or  blackish -green  rind;  flesh  crisp,  bright  scarlet;  seed 
nearly  black,  tipped  with  brown. 

Blue  Gem,  or  Georgia  Blue,  Gloussier,  Iceberg.    Large 


166  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

size,  thick  oval  form;  rind  dark  bluish-green  with  faint 
stripes  of  a  lighter  shade;  flesh  deep  red;  seed  black. 

Boss.  Large  size,  long  form;  rind  dark-green;  flesh 
deep  scarlet;  seed  very  dark  brown. 

Bradford.  Large  size,  long  form;  rind  dark-green 
striped  with  darker  shade;  flesh  deep  red;  seed  white. 

Cuban  Queen.  Large  size,  oblong  form;  rind  thin 
and  tough,  striped  in  dark  and  light-green;  flesh  bright 
red;  seed  blackish-brown. 

Dark  Icing,  or  Early  Ford  Hook.  Medium-sized, 
nearly  round  form;  thin  rind,  color  dark  green,  with 
occasional  faint  stripes  of  light-green;  flesh  bright  red, 
crisp;  seed  white. 

Dixie.  Large  size,  oblong  form ;  rind  thin  and 
tough,  dark  green,  with  stripes  of  lighter  green ;  flesh 
bright  red ;  seed  dark  brown. 

Duke  Jones,  or  Jumbo.  Large  size,  oblong  form; 
rind  dark-green,  with  irregular  stripes  of  lighter  shade; 
flesh  bright  red;  seed  white,  darkened  around  the  tip 
edge. 

Florida  Favorite,  or  Sibley's  Triumph.  Large  size, 
oblong  form  ;  rind  dark  green,  faintly  striped  with  a 
darker  shade;  flesh  deep  red;  seed  white. 

Georgia  Rattlesnake,  or  Gypsy.  Large  size,  long 
form;  rind  striped  and  mottled  with  various  shades  of 
green;  flesh  bright  scarlet;  seed  white. 

Ice  Cream.  Large  size,  nearly  round  form;  rind 
pale-green;  flesh  white  and  sweet;  seed  white. 

Jordan's  Grey  Monarch,  or  Long  Light  Icing.  Large 
size,  long  form;  rind  light-green  color,  mottled;  flesh 
deep  red;  seed  white. 

Kleckly  Sweet,  or  Monte  Cristo.  Large  size,  oblong 
form;  thin,  dark  green  rind;  flesh  bright  scarlet,  crisp; 
seed  white. 


MELON.  167 

Kolb  Gem,  or  American  Champion.  Large  size, 
thick  oval  form;  rind  thin  and  tough,  marked  in  light 
and  dark  green  stripes;  flesh  coarse,  bright  red;  seed 
dark  brown. 

Mclver  Sugar,  or  Wonderful.  Large  size,  oblong 
form;  rind  dark  green  with  broad  stripes  of  light  green; 
flesh  crisp,  pale  pink;  seed  white. 

Mountain  Sprout.  Large  size,  long  form;  rind 
striped  with  light  and  dark  green;  flesh  deep  red;  seed 
dun-colored. 

Mountain  Sweet.  Large  size,  long  and  slender  form; 
dark  green  rind,  sometimes  marbled  with  different 
shades  of  green;  flesh  scarlet-red;  seed  dark  brown. 

Peerless.  Medium-sized,  oblong  form;  thin  rind, 
light  green  in  color,  mottled;  flesh  scarlet;  seed  light 
brown. 

Phinney's  Early,  or  Extra  Early.  Medium  sized, 
oblong  form,  rind  two  shades  of  green,  mottled;  flesh 
deep  red;  seed  white,  blackened  at  the  tip  edges. 

Preserving  Citron.  Large  size,  round  form;  rind 
light  and  dark  stripes;  flesh  greenish- white;  seed  red. 

Round  Light  Icing,  or  Ice  Rind.  Similar  to  Dark 
Icing,  except  color  of  rind  is  light  green;  seed  white. 

Pride  of  Georgia.  Large  size,  oval  form;  rind  dark 
green  with  light  and  dark  green  stripes;  flesh  pink; 
seed  white,  blackened  at  the  tip  edges. 

Seminole.  Large  size,  long  form;  rind  tough  and 
thin,  color  light  green  or  grey;  flesh  carmine;  seed 
light  brown. 

Sweet  Heart.  Large  size,  oval  form;  rind  light 
green,  mottled  with  dark  green;  flesh  dark  red;  seed 
dark  brown. 

Triumph.  Large  size,  thick  oval  form;  rind  bluish- 
green;  flesh  dark  red;  seed  black. 


168  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

MUSTARD. 

Black. — Seed  brownish-black,  leaves  large,  deeply 
lobed,  dark  green  color. 

Giant  Southern  Curled,  or  Chinese,  Creole-Curled, 
Georgia.  Seed  brown;  large,  dark  green  leaves  with 
extra  curled  edges;  twice  the  size  of  the  ordinary  white. 

Ostrich  Plume.  Seed  brown;  dark  green  leaves, 
long,  ruffled  and  frilled. 

White.  Seed  yellow;  leaves  large,  deeply  lobed,  of  a 
deep  green  color. 

OKRA. 

Dwarf  Green,  or  Density.     Pod  green,  ridged. 

Lady  Finger.  Tall  habit;  long,  slender,  light  green 
ridged  pod. 

Perkins,  or  Long  Green  Pod.  Dwarf  habit;  long, 
slender,  dark  green  ridged  pod. 

Tall  Green,  or  Long.  Green,  ridged  pod,  longer 
than  the  dwarf  variety. 

White  Velvet,  or  Creole,  Long  White  Pod,  New 
South,  White  Lady  Finger.  Tall  habit;  long,  round, 
smooth  pod,  velvety-white  in  color. 

ONION. 

Australian  Brown. — Early,  medium-sized,  globular 
form,  flesh  white,  skin  bright  reddish-brown;  solid, 
fairly  good  keeper. 

Bermuda  Island  Red.  Medium  size,  flattened  form, 
white  flesh,  purplish-red  skin;  desirable  for  early  use, 
but  not  a  good  winter  keeper. 

Bermuda  Island  White.  Similar  to  the  preceding, 
except  the  skin  is  straw-color. 

Early  White  Queen,  or  Bloomsdale  Pearl,  Extra 
Early  Barletta.  Early,  medium  size,  white  flesh,  sil- 


ONION.  169 

very-white  skin;  flattened  form,  mild  flavor;  desirable 
for  early  use,  but  not  a  good  winter  keeper. 

Extra  Early  Red.  Early,  medium  size,  flattened 
form,  flesh  white  tinged  with  pink,  skin  deep  red; 
solid,  good  keeper. 

Paris  Silver  Skin,  or  Autumn  White  Wax.  Early, 
medium  size,  white  flesh,  waxy-white  skin,  flattened 
form,  mild  flavor;  desirable  for  earliness,  but  not  a 
good  keeper. 

Prize  Taker,  or  Spanish  Globe,  Spanish  King.  Large 
size,  globular  in  form,  white  flesh,  straw-yellow  skin, 
solid,  fairly  good  winter  keeper. 

Red  Tripoli,  or  Copper  King,  Mammoth  Pompeii, 
Red  Garganus.  Large  size,  flattened  form,  white  flesh, 
reddish-brown  skin;  mild  flavor;  desirable  for  early 
use,  but  not  a  good  winter  keeper. 

Red  Wethersfield.  Large  size,  flattened  form,  flesh 
purplish-white,  skin  deep  purplish-red;  solid,  good 
keeper. 

Southport  Red  Globe,  or  Red  Rocca.  Large  size, 
globe  or  round  form;  flesh  slightly  tinged  with  pink; 
skin  dark  red;  solid,  good  keeper. 

Southport  White  Globe,  or  Silver  Ball,  White  Rocca. 
Large  size,  globe  or  round  form,  white  flesh,  silvery- 
white  skin;  solid,  good  keeper. 

Southport  Yellow  Globe,  or  Yellow  Rocca.  Large 
size,  globe  or  round  form,  white  flesh,  straw-yellow 
skin;  solid,  good  keeper. 

White  Portugal,  or  Silver  Skin.  Medium  size,  flat- 
tened form,  white  flesh,  silvery-white  skin;  solid,  fairly 
good  keeper. 

White  Tripoli,  or  El  Paso,  Mexican,  Silver  King, 
White  Garganus.  Large  size,  flattened  form,  white 
flesh,  silvery-white  skin;  mild  in  flavor;  desirable  for 
early  use,  but  not  a  good  winter  keeper. 


170  THE    SEED-GROWER. 

Yellow  Globe  Danvers,  or  Long  Keeper.  Medium 
size,  globular  form,  white  flesh,  light  golden-brown  or 
pale-yellow  skin;  solid,  good  keeper. 

Yellow  Strasburg,  or  Flanders,  Yellow  Dutch.  Large 
size,  flattened  form,  white  flesh,  straw-yellow  skin; 
solid,  good  keeper. 

PARSLEY. 

Double  Curled,  or  Extra  Curled,  Fine  Curled.  Very 
curly,  fine-cut  dark-green  leaves. 

Emerald,  or  Beauty,  Beauty  of  the  Parterre.  Fine 
curled  and  twisted  dark-green  leaves. 

Moss  Curled,  or  Champion,  Fern-leaved,  Triple- 
Curled.  Densely  crimpled  and  curled,  dark-green 
leaves. 

Single  or  Plain.  Leaves  plain,  not  curled;  flavor 
stronger  than  the  curled  sort. 

Turnip-rooted,  or  Hamburg.  The  edible  portion  is 
the  fleshy  root,  which  resembles  a  small  parsnip.  It  is 
used  for  flavoring  soups  and  stews. 

PARSNIP. 

Improved  Half  Long,  or  Bloomsdale,  Devonshire, 
Elcombe  Giant.  Root  half  long,  and  of  thick  diam- 
eter toward  the  crown;  sugary. 

Long  Smooth  or  Hollow  Crown,  or  Cup.  Guernsey, 
Long  White,  Student,  Sugar.  Long,  smooth  root; 
sugary;  the  old  well-known  staple  variety. 

PEA. 

Extra  Early  Varieties. — Alaska,  or  Earliest  of  All, 
Kentish  Invicta,  Laxton's  Earliest,  Sitka.  This  is  as 
early  as  the  Daniel  0'  Rourke.  Height  two  and  a  half 
to  three  feet;  pod  dark-green,  straight,  about  two  and  a 


PEA.  171 

half  inches   long,    containing  five  or  six  peas;    seed 
round,  blue,  slightly  pitted. 

This  variety  was  originated  in  England  under  the  name  of  Kent- 
ish Invicta,  and  introduced  here  about  thirty-five  years  ago.  Alaska 
is  the  most  popular  name  by  which  it  is  now  known  in  America. 

Alpha.  Extra  early;  height  three  feet,  medium- 
sized  pods;  seed  small,  wrinkled,  light-green. 

Daniel  O'Rourke,  or  Canada  Extra  Early,  Carter's 
Earliest,  Dexter,  Eureka,  First  and  Best,  Landreths' 
Extra  Early,  Maud  S.,  Morning  Star,  Philadelphia  Ex- 
tra Early,  Rural  New  Yorker,  etc.  Height  of  vine  two 
and  a  half  to  three  feet;  straight  pods,  about  two  and  a 
half  inches  long,  containing  five  or  six  peas;  seed 
round,  smooth,  light  cream  color. 

This  was  introduced  here  from  England  about  sixty  years  ago, 
and  in  earliness  has  not  yet  been  improved  upon. 

Early  Frame,  or  Early  June,  Early  Kent,  Early 
May,  Early  Prince  Albert,  Early  Washington.  Height 
of  vine  three  feet;  pods  straight;  about  two  and  a  half 
inches  long;  seed  round,  smooth,  light  cream-colored. 

Many  years  ago  this  was  the  most  popular  of  'all  the  early  varie- 
ties, but  it  has  been  superseded  by  the  Daniel  O'Eourke,  which  is  a 
week  or  ten  days  earlier. 

Gradus,  or  Early  Giant,  or  Prosperity.  This  is  but 
a  few  days  later  than  the  Daniel  O'Rourke;  height 
three  feet;  large  well-filled  pods,  about  three  and  a 
quarter  inches  in  length;  seed  large,  wrinkled,  cream- 
colored. 

Dwarf  Early  Varieties.— American  Wonder.  Vig- 
orous, productive,  dark  foliage;  height  nine  inches; 
medium-sized  pods;  green,  wrinkled  seed. 

Blue  Peter.  Hardy  and  fairly  productive;  height  ten 
inches;  broad,  flattened  pods,  borne  at  the  top  of  the 


172  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

vines;  good  flavor;  seed  blue,  round,  slightly  flattened 
and  dented. 

Little  Gem,  or  Premium  Gem.  Height  eighteen  in- 
ches, hardy,  prolific;  pods  two  and  a  half  to  three 
inches  long,  borne  singly  on  both  sides  of  the  stalks; 
fine  flavor;  seed  green,  wrinkled. 

No tt's  Excelsior.  Extra  early;  height  twelve  inches; 
pods  two  and  a  half  to  three  and  a  half  inches  in  length, 
well  filled;  vigorous,  productive;  seed  wrinkled,  square 
at  the  ends,  green  in  color. 

Tom  Thumb.  Height  ten  inches,  prolific;  pods  two 
and  a  quarter  inches  long;  seed  small,  round,  white, 
similar  to  Daniel  O'Rourke,  and  like  it  in  quality. 

William  Hurst.  Height  twelve  inches;  resembles 
American  Wonder  in  habit,  but  more  hardy  and  vigor- 
ous, bearing  in  profusion  long-curved,  well-filled  pods; 
light-green,  wrinkled  seeds. 

Medium  Height,  Medium  Early  Varieties.— 
Blue  Beauty,  or  Perfection.  Height  twenty  inches; 
vigorous,  productive;  pods  well  filled,  fine  flavor;  seed 
blue,  round,  smooth. 

Blue  Prussian.  Height  three  feet,  vigorous  ;  pods 
two  and  three  quarter  inches  long,  slightly  curved;  seed 
small,  smooth,  compressed  on  the  sides,  blue. 

Dwarf  Blue  Imperial.  Height  three  to  four  feet; 
hardy,  vigorous;  pods  about  three  inches  long,  well 
filled;  seed  large,  blue,  smooth,  somewhat  flattened; 
quality  good. 

Dwarf  Telephone,  or  Daisy.  Height  twenty  inches; 
hardy,  vigorous,  productive;  pods  about  three  inches 
in  length,  broad,  straight,  rounded  or  curved  at  end, 
well  filled,  often  containing  ten  large  peas  of  pale- 
green  color;  fine  flavor;  seed  large,  light-green,  much 
shriveled  and  shrunken. 


PEA.  173 

Eugenie,  Alliance,  or  Prince  of  Wales.  Height  three 
feet;  hardy,  vigorous;  pods  about  two  and  three  quarter 
inches  long,  containing  five  or  six  peas;  seed  cream- 
colored,  wrinkled,  flattened;  flavor  fine,  as  is  the  case 
generally  with  cream-colored,  wrinkled  varieties. 

Heroine.  Height  two  feet;  vigorous;  luxuriant  foli- 
age; pods  extra  long,  slightly  curved,  well-filled,  eight 
to  nine  peas  each;  fine  flavor;  seed  green,  very  much 
wrinkled. 

Horsford's  Market  Garden,  or  Abundance.  Height 
twenty  inches;  resembles  Little  Gem,  but  ten  days 
later;  pods  medium  size,  produced  in  profusion  in 
pairs,  but  not  so  well-filled,  as  McLean's  Advancer; 
seed  green,  wrinkled. 

Juno.  Height  two  feet,  vigorous ;  pods  straight, 
thick,  well  filled  with  seven  to  nine  peas. each;  fine 
flavor;  seed  large,  deep  green,  wrinkled. 

McLean's  Advancer.  Height  two  feet ;  vigorous, 
productive;  long,  broad,  well-filled  pods  borne  near  the 
top  of  the  stalk;  seed  green,  wrinkled. 

Pride  of  Market,  or  Golden  Sugar.  Height  two  and 
a  half  feet,  vigorous,  productive;  pods  about  three  in- 
ches long,  well-filled,  borne  in  profusion;  fine  flavor; 
seed  blue,  round,  smooth. 

Senator.  Height  two  and  a  half  feet;  pods  very 
long,  curved,  borne  near  the  tops  of  vines,  often  in 
pairs;  fine  flavor;  seed  light  green,  wrinkled. 

Shropshire  Hero.  Height  two  and  a  half  feet;  hardy, 
vigorous,  productive;  pods  larger,  longer  and  better 
filled  than  Yorkshire  Hero;  fine  flavor;  seed  green, 
very  much  wrinkled. 

Stratagem  or  Sharpe'  s  Queen,  Height  two  and  a-half 
feet;  vigorous,  luxuriant  foliage;  pods  broad,  about  three 
inches  long,  containing  six  to  nine  large  peas;  seed  green, 
wrinkled;  fine  flavor. 


174  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

Yorkshire  Hero,  or  Alameda  Sweet,  Big  Gem,  Dwarf 
Champion,  Everbearing.  Height  two  and  a  half  feet; 
hardy,  vigorous,  productive;  pods  broad,  about  two 
and  three-quarter  inches  in  length,  borne  in  profusion; 
fine  flavor;  seed  large,  green,  wrinkled,  flattened. 

Tall  Late  Varieties. — Admiral.  Height  three  to 
three  and  a  half  feet;  hardy,  vigorous;  medium-sized 
pods  (about  like  Daniel  O'Rourke),  produced  in 
abundance,  well  filled,  quality  good;  seed  small,  cream- 
colored,  wrinkled. 

Auvergne,  or  Bloomsdale,  French  Canner,  Petit  Pois. 

Height  four  to  five  feet,  hardy,  productive;  pods 
about  four  inches  long,  round,  slightly  curved;  seed 
small,  round,  white. 

Black  Eye  Marrowfat.  Height  four  to  five  feet; 
hardy,  vigorous,  productive;  pods  three  to  three  and  a 
half  inches  long,  broad,  thick,  leathery,  borne  near  the 
top  of  the  vine,  containing  four  to  five  large  peas  of 
good  quality,  but  not  so  sweet  as  the  wrinkled  sorts; 
seed  large,  round,  cream-colored,  with  a  distinct  black 
eye. 

Champion  of  England.  Height  four  to  five  feet, 
vigorous,  productive;  pods  about  three  and  one-quarter 
inches  long,  broad,  from  five  to  seven  peas  each;  seed 
light  green,  very  much  wrinkled. 

Duke  of  Albany,  or  American  Champion.  Height 
two  and  a  half  to  three  feet,  vigorous,  productive;  pods 
about  three  and  one-half  inches  long,  broad,  nearly 
straight,  well  filled;  quality  fine;  seed  large,  light 
green,  very  much  wrinkled. 

Forty-fold.  An  improved  Champion  of  England, 
pods  larger,  longer  and  better  filled;  height  and  seed 
similar. 

Sugar  Marrow.     Height  three  and  a  half  to  four  feet, 


PEPPER.  175 

hardy,  productive;  pods  long,  well  shaped,  well  filled 
with  peas  of  the  true  marrow  flavor;  seed  small,  white, 
slightly  pitted  or  dented. 

Telegraph,  or  Giant-podded  Marrowfat,  Long  Island 
Marrowfat.  Height  three  and  a  half  to  four  feet; 
strongly  resembles  the  Telephone  as  to  vine  and  pod; 
deeper  shade  of  green  and  more  hardy  and  productive; 
in  quality  not  so  good  as  Telephone;  seed  dark  green, 
round,  dented. 

Telephone,  or  Victoria.  Height  three  and  a  half  to 
four  feet,  vigorous,  productive;  pods  light  green,  three 
and  three-quarter  inches  long,  broad,  straight,  well 
filled,  six  to  ten  large  peas  each;  seed  large,  light  green, 
very  much  wrinkled;  quality  fine. 

White  Marrowfat.  Height  three  and  a  half  to  four 
feet,  hardy,  vigorous,  productive;  pods  three  to  three 
and  a  half  inches  long,  broad,  thick,  leathery,  borne 
near  the  top  of  the  vine,  containing  four  to  five  large 
peas  of  good  quality,  but  not  so  sweet  as  the  wrinkled 
sorts;  seed  large,  round,  cream-colored. 

Sugar  or  Edible-pod  Varieties. — Dwarf  Purple 
Blossom.  Height  twenty  inches;  pods  about  three  in- 
ches long,  broad,  tender;  seed  gray. 

Melting  Sugar.  Height  five  feet,  productive;  pods 
three  and  a  half  to  four  inches  long,  three  quarters  of 
an  inch  broad,  somewhat  bloated  and  twisted,  seed 
brown. 

Tall  Sugar.  Height  five  feet,  productive;  pods  three 
and  a  half  to  four  inches  long,  broad,  tender;  seed 
white. 

PEPPER. 

Large  Fruited  Varieties. — Chinese  Giant.  Stocky 
habit;  fruit  four  to  five  inches  long,  four  to  five  in 


176  THE    SEED-GROWER. 

diameter  at  the  stem;  when  ripe  brilliant  scarlet;  flesh 
mild. 

Golden  Dawn.  Plant  stocky  and  branching;  pods 
large,  nearly  four  inches  long  and  three  in  diameter  at 
the  stem;  deep  yellow  when  ripe;  flesh  mild. 

Golden  Queen,  or  Giant  Yellow.  Stocky  habit  ; 
fruit  four  to  six  inches  long,  three  to  four  in  diameter 
at  the  stem;  deep  yellow  when  ripe;  flesh  mild. 

Large  Sweet  or  Bell.  Plant  stocky  and  branching: 
pods  nearly  four  inches  long  and  three  in  diameter  at 
the  stem;  brilliant  coral-red  when  ripe;  flesh  mild. 

Procopp's  Giant,  or  Spanish  Monstrous.  Sturdy 
habit,  fruit  six  to  eight  inches  long,  two  in  diameter  at 
the  stem  end;  glossy  scarlet  when  ripe;  flesh  mild. 

Ruby  King.  Very  much  like  the  Golden  Queen,  ex- 
cepting that  fruit  is  brilliant  red  when  ripe. 

Squash,  or  Tomato-shaped.  Stocky  habit;  fruit  com- 
pressed, two  and  a  half  inches  in  diameter,  two  in  depth; 
brilliant  coral-red  when  ripe;  flesh  mild. 

Small  Fruited  and  Hot  Varieties.— Bird.  Fruit 
sharply  conical  in  form;  one  and  three-quarter  inches 
in  length,  about  one-half  inch  in  diameter;  brilliant 
coral-red  when  ripe;  intensely  pungent. 

Celestial,  or  Kaleidoscope.  Fruit  conical  form,  one 
to  two  inches  long,  produced  in  great  profusion;  ripen- 
ing from  green  alternately  to  lemon,  golden  and  scarlet; 
intensely  pungent. 

Cherry.  Fruit  globular  or  cherry  form,  deep  scarlet 
when  ripe;  intensely  pungent.  There  is  a  yellow- 
fruited  sort. 

Coral  Gem.  Dwarf  habit,  slender  fruit  one  inch  long, 
produced  in  abundance;  bright  red  when  ripe;  intensely 
pungent. 

Long  Red  Cayenne.     Fruit  long,  conical,  nearly  four 


PUMPKIN.  177 

inches  long,  one  to  one  and  a  half  in  diameter;  coral- 
red  when  ripe;  intensely  pungent. 

Tabasco.  Tall  habit;  three  to  four  feet  in  height; 
bears  in  profusion  slender  fruit  one  inch  in  length; 
deep  scarlet  when  ripe;  intensely  pungent. 

PUMPKIN. 

Canada. — Oblate  form,  deeply  and  regularly  ribbed; 
comparatively  large  size,  twelve  to  fourteen  inches  in 
diameter,  about  ten  in  depth;  shell  or  rind  thick  and 
hard ;  deep  orange-yellow  in  color;  flesh  yellow,  fine- 
grained; more  flattened  in  form  than  the  Common  Field 
variety. 

Cashaw.  Curved,  crookneck  form,  solid  and  cylin- 
drical, thickened  more  or  less  at  the  blossom  end;  large 
size,  reaching  fifty  pounds  or  more  in  weight;  color  of 
rind  light-cream;  flesh  yellow,  fine-grained,  sweet. 

Cheese.  Fruit  much  flattened,  cheese-shaped,  regu- 
larly ribbed;  large  size,  fourteen  to  sixteen  inches  in 
diameter,  eight  to  ten  in  depth;  rind  quite  hard,  deep 
reddish-orange  in  color;  flesh  thick,  yellow,  fine-grained, 
sweet. 

Connecticut  Field.  Fruit  rounded,  more  deep  than 
broad,  flattened  at  ends,  regularly  and  prominently 
ribbed;  twelve  to  fifteen  inches  long,  ten  to  twelve  in 
diameter;  rind  hard,  color  orange-yellow,  flesh  yellow, 
coarse-grained. 

Japanese  or  Japanese  Pie.  Early,  medium-sized, 
crooknecked ;  rind  dark-green,  mottled  with  yellow 
stripes;  flesh  deep  orange;  fine-grained,  sweet. 

Mammoth  Potiron,  or  Jumbo,  King  of  the  Mam- 
moth. Rounded,  thickened  form,  depressed  at  ends, 
slightly  ribbed;  rind  salmon-orange;  flesh  deep  yellow. 
12 


178  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

The  Mammoth  Potiron  is  the  largest  pumpkin,  sometimes  reaches 
two  feet  in  diameter,  from  100  to  200  pounds  in  weight. 

Mammoth  Tours.  Large  size;  oblong  form;  rind 
deep  orange,  slightly  mottled;  flesh  yellow. 

Nantucket,  or  Hard  Shell,  "  Nigger  Head."  Flat- 
tened or  depressed  form,  but  sometimes  oblong;  medium 
or  rather  small  size;  faintly  ribbed;  color  dark  green, 
which  becomes  lighter  at  full  maturity;  rind  thick, 
hard,  covered  more  or  less  with  warty  excrescences; 
flesh  yellow,  thick,  fine-grained,  sweet. 

Sugar.  Round,  flattened  form;  small  size,  eight  or 
nine  inches  in  diameter,  five  or  six  in  depth;  regularly 
ribbed;  rind  hard,  orange-yellow;  flesh  light  yellow, 
fine-grained,  sweet,  abundant  bearer. 

Tennessee  Sweet  Potato.  Medium  size,  pear-shaped; 
rind  creamy-white,  with  light  green  stripes;  flesh 
creamy-white,  fine-grained,  sweet. 

RADISH. 

Early  Varieties. — Chartier.  Long  thick  root,  not 
so  long  as  the  Long  Scarlet;  red,  shading  to  white  at 
the  bottom. 

Early  Deep  Scarlet  Turnip,  or  Cherry,  Ne  Plus  Ultra, 
Red  Turnip,  Scarlet  Button.  Spherical  root,  when  full- 
grown  measuring  about  an  inch  in  diameter;  skin  deep 
scarlet;  flesh  white,  sometimes  stained  with  red. 

Earliest  Scarlet  Erfurt,  or  Early  Bird,  Fire  Ball. 
The  earliest  red  round-rooted  variety;  small  root,  small 
top. 

Earliest  White  Short-top  Turnip,  or  Hail  Stone. 
The  earliest  white  round-rooted  radish;  small  bulb, 
short  leaves. 

French  Breakfast.  Oval  root,  the  upper  part  scarlet, 
the  bottom  tipped  with  white. 


RADISH.  179 

Half-Long  Deep  Scarlet,  or  Paris  Beauty.  Small, 
thick  root;  good  color. 

Long  Brightish  Scarlet,  or  Long  Cardinal.  Medium- 
long  root,  scarlet  tipped  with  white. 

Long  Purple,  or  Delicious  Red.  Long  root;  skin 
deep  purple;  flesh  white. 

Long  Scarlet,  or  Cincinnati  Market,  Early  Frame, 
Early  Scarlet  Short-top.  Long  slender  root,  deep-pink 
color,  becoming  paler  toward  the  tip. 

Long  White  Icicle.  Grows  about  four  inches  long; 
slightly  stump-rooted;  glossy  white  skin. 

Long  White  Vienna,  or  Long  White  Lady  Finger, 
New  Pearl.  Long,  slender,  white  root. 

Scarlet  Globe,  or  Carmine  Globe,  Prussian  Globe, 
Rosy  Gem,  Scarlet  of  France.  Round  root ;  brilliant 
red  color. 

Scarlet  Olive-shaped,  or  Red  Rocket.  Oval  root,  one 
and  a  half  inches  deep,  three-fourths  of  an  inch  in 
diameter;  skin  deep  scarlet,  flesh  tinged  with  red. 

Triumph,  or  Striped.  Small  round  bulb,  white 
marked  with  scarlet  stripes. 

White  Olive-shaped,  or  Newcome,  White  Rocket. 
Oval  form,  medium  size,  white  skin. 

White-tipped  Scarlet  Turnip,  or  Rapid  Forcing,  Ruby 
Pearl,  Scarlet  Ball.  Round  root,  bright  scarlet  tipped 
with  white. 

White  Turnip,  or  White  Box.  Medium  size,  round 
root,  white  skin. 

Summer  Varieties. — Celestial,  or  White  Chinese. 
Large  size,  stump-root  form,  pure  white  skin. 

White  Strasburg,  or  Hospital,  Nonpareil,  Sandwich, 
White  Chartier,  1834.  Large  root ;  oblong,  tapering 
form,  white  skin. 

White  Stuttgart.  Large  size;  top-shaped  root;  white 
skin, 


180  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

Yellow  Turnip,  or  Golden  Globe,  Yellow  Summer. 
Large  size,  nearly  or  quite  round;  russet-yellow  skin; 
white  flesh. 

Winter  Varieties. — California  Mammoth  White, 
or  Mammoth  Russian.  Large  size,  from  eight  to  ten 
inches  long  and  two  to  three  in  diameter;  skin  white. 

Long  Black  Spanish.  Large,  long,  thick  form,  six 
to  eight  inches  long,  one  to  one  and  a  half  in  diameter 
at  the  top;  skin  nearly  black,  flesh  white. 

Long  White  Spanish.  Differing  from  the  Black 
Spanish  only  in  color  of  skin. 

Round  Black  Spanish.  Large,  round  form,  skin 
nearly  black,  flesh  white. 

Scarlet  China.  Large  size,  stump-root  form,  four  to 
five  inches  long,  one  and  a  half  to  two  inches  in  diam- 
eter at  the  broadest  part;  skin  scarlet  and  pink,  tipped 
with  white. 

RHUBARB. 

Linnaeus. — Exceedingly  early,  medium-sized,  high- 
flavored,  thin  skin,  tender;  possesses  very  little  acidity. 

Tobolsk.  Leaves  and  stalks  below  medium  size, 
stained  red  at  the  base;  thin  skin,  tender;  like  the  pre- 
ceding, possesses  very  little  acidity. 

Victoria.  Later  than  the  preceding  varieties;  leaves 
and  stalks  large;  the  latter  two  and  a  half  to  three  in- 
ches at  their  broadest  diameter;  stained  red  at  the  base; 
rather  thick  skin ;  more  acid  than  the  above  two 
varieties. 

SALSIFY  OR  OYSTER  PLANT. 

Long  White. — The  old  French  variety.  Roots  long 
and  tapering,  white  within  and  without,  measuring 
when  well  grown  twelve  to  fourteen  inches  long,  about 
one  inch  in  diameter  at  the  crown. 


SQUASH.  181 

Sandwich  Island.  Roots  white,  nearly  twice  as 
large  as  the  preceding;  foliage  stronger;  quality  superior. 

Wisconsin  Golden.  Roots  yellowish,  larger  than  the 
Sandwich  Island;  foliage  crimpled  or  curled;  quality 
first-class. 

SCORZONERA,  OR  BLACK  OYSTER 
PLANT,  BLACK  SALSIFY. 

Root  long,  slender  and  tapering;  skin  grayish-black; 
flesh  white,  tender  and  sugary. 

SORREL. 

Broad  Leaved. — Leaves  ten  to  twelve  inches  long 
by  six  in  diameter;  leaf -stems  red  at  the  base. 

SPINACH. 

Bloomsdale,  or  Curled  Savoy,  Norfolk  Savoy. 
Hardy;  thick  dark-green,  wrinkled  leaves. 

Enkhuisen,  or  Long  Standing,  Thick  Leaf.  Large, 
smooth,  dark  green  leaves. 

Flanders.  Large,  thick,  succulent,  halberd-shaped 
dark  green  leaves,  somewhat  wrinkled;  very  hardy. 

Prickly.     Round,  smooth,  bright  green  leaves. 

The  hardiest  of  all  spinach,  named  from  its  spiny  seed. 

Round  Savoy.  Large,  round,  thick,  fleshy,  dark 
green  leaves. 

Victoria,  or  Ever  Ready,  New  Parisian.  Broad, 
thick,  dark  green  leaves,  wrinkled  in  centre. 

Viroflay,  or  Belgium  Evergreen,  Improved  Thick- 
leaved.  Large,  thick,  fleshy,  dark  green  leaves. 

SQUASH. 

Summer  Varieties.— Early  White  Bush,  or  Cym- 
bling,  Pattypan.  Bush  habit;  round,  flattened  form; 
edges  scalloped;  skin  and  flesh  white. 


182  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

Extra  Early  Bush.  Bush  habit;  earlier  than  the 
preceding,  but  similar  in  shape;  skin  yellow;  flesh  pale 
yellow. 

Fordhook.  Oblong  form;  eight  to  ten  inches  long; 
slightly  ridged,  smooth,  thin,  yellowish  skin;  flesh 
light  straw-yellow,  vine  vigorous. 

Golden  Summer  Crook-neck.  Bush  habit;  long 
form,  about  two  and  one-half  feet  in  length,  partly 
crooked,  with  slender  neck  covered  with  small  wart-like 
bunches;  skin  deep  yellow;  flesh  greenish-yellow. 

White  Summer  Crook-neck.  Similar  to  the  preced- 
ing, but  larger  and  white  in  color. 

Fall  or  Winter  Varieties.— Boston  Marrow.  Oval 
form,  pointed  at  the  ends  ;  skin  deep  cream -yellow; 
flesh  salmon-yellow;  vine  running  habit. 

Delicata.  Small  size,  oblong  form;  skin  striped  with 
dark  green,  slightly  ribbed  with  orange;  flesh  orange. 

Delicious.  In  size  about  like  the  old  Hubbard,  oval 
form,  thickest  at  the  blossom  end;  skin  dark  grayish- 
green,  flesh  dark  orange. 

Essex  Hybrid.  Large,  broad,  round  form,  flattened 
at  the  ends,  with  a  large  nub  at  the  blossom  end;  skin 
orange,  flesh  yellow  or  pinkish. 

Faxon.  Medium  size,  round  form,  flattened,  slightly 
scolloped;  skin  greenish-orange,  flesh  yellow. 

Hubbard.  Oval  form,  pointed  at  the  ends;  skin 
dark-green;  flesh  salmon-yellow;  vine  strong,  running 
habit. 

Mammoth  Chili.  Largest  of  all  squashes;  rounded, 
oblong  form,  slightly  flattened  at  ends;  skin  smooth, 
with  broad,  open  netting,  orange-yellow  in  color;  flesh 
yellow;  under  strong  cultivation  will  reach  a  weight  of 
100  pounds. 

Mammoth  Whale.     Large  size;  long  oval  form,  two 


TOMATO,  183 

to  three  feet  in  length,  with  a  straight  neck  at  the  stem 
end ;  skin  dark  olive-green  with  slight  striping  of  a 
lighter  tinge;  flesh  orange-yellow ;  under  strong  cultiva- 
tion will  attain  a  weight  of  60  pounds. 

Pike's  Peak.  Large  size,  oval  form  tapering  at  the 
blossom  end;  skin  dark  olive-green;  flesh  light-golden; 
vine  strong,  running  habit. 

Red  or  Golden  Hubbard.  Similar  in  form  to  the 
Green  Hubbard,  but  skin  is  orange-yellow,  turning  to 
salmon  when  ripened. 

Warted  Hubbard.  Similar  to  Green  Hubbard,  but 
fruit  is  more  heavily  warted. 

TOMATO. 

Acme,  or  Essex  Hybrid,  The  Honey.  Early,  med- 
ium-sized; round  form,  slightly  depressed  at  the  ends; 
smooth,  solid,  purplish-red. 

Aristocrat.  Early;  short,  thick  stems,  almost  self- 
supporting  ;  leaves  curled,  dark-green;  fruit  borne  in 
clusters,  medium  size,  nearly  round  form,  glossy  red. 

Atlantic  Prize,  or  Earliest  of  All,  Early  Ruby,  Extra 
Early  Richmond,  Moneymaker.  Extra  early,  medium- 
sized;  flattened  and  irregular  in  form;  bright  red. 

Beauty,  or  Baltimore  Prize  Taker,  Cincinnati  Purple, 
Climax,  Table  Queen,  Trucker's  Favorite,  Volunteer. 
Early;  medium-sized,  round  form;  solid,  smooth,  purp- 
lish-red. 

Buck-eye.  Early,  similar  to  the  Beauty,  except 
fruit  is  larger;  round,  smooth  form;  solid,  purplish -red. 

Dwarf  Champion,  or  Meteor,  Station,  Tree,  Upright. 
Early;  short,  thick,  stiff  stems,  almost  self-supporting; 
leaves  curled,  dark  green;  fruit  borne  in  clusters,  med- 
ium-sized, nearly  round  form,  purplish-red. 

Dwarf  Stone.     Early,  plants  dwarf,  bushier  or  stalk- 


184  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

ier  in  habit  than  the  regular  Stone;  fruit  larger  than 
Dwarf  Champion,  borne  in  clusters,  round  form; 
smooth,  solid,  scarlet. 

Earliana.  Extra  early;  medium-sized,  round  form; 
smooth,  bright  red  fruit,  borne  in  clusters. 

Early  Jersey,  or  Advance,  Alpha,  Cumberland  Red, 
Conqueror,  Early  Cluster.  Early;  medium-sized, 
round  form;  somewhat  rough,  solid,  bright  red. 

Favorite,  or  Bell,  Brandywine,  Cardinal,  Mayflower, 
Optimus,  Red  Cross.  Early;  medium-sized,  round 
form;  solid,  smooth,  dark  red. 

Golden  Queen,  or  Golden  Trophy,  Lemon  Blush, 
Sunrise,  The  Shah.  Early;  large  size,  round  form; 
solid,  smooth,  yellow,  sometimes  tinged  with  red  at 
the  blossom  end. 

Green  Gage,  or  Ivory  Ball.  Medium  early;  small, 
round  fruit,  averaging  1J  inches  in  diameter;  in  color 
bone-white. 

Honor  Bright.  Medium  early;  large,  round  form, 
solid,  smooth;  during  growth  and  ripening,  fruit  un- 
dergoes changes  in  color,  first  light  green,  then  waxy- 
white,  then  lemon,  finally  bright  red. 

Husk,  or  Barbados  Gooseberry,  Ground  Cherry, 
Mexican,  Strawberry,  Winter  Cherry.  Low,  spreading 
habit,  small  yellow  fruit,  enclosed  in  a  husk;  usable 
only  for  preserving  or  making  pies. 

Matchless.  Early;  large  size,  round  form;  solid, 
smooth,  cardinal  red. 

Paragon,  or  Baltimore  Queen,  Brinton's  Best,  Red 
Queen,  Royal  Red,  Ten  Ton.  Medium  early;  medium- 
sized;  smooth,  solid,  deep  red. 

Peach.  Medium  early:  small,  round  fruit,  averag- 
ing 1J  inches  in  diameter;  pinkish  in  color,  covered 
with  a  slight  bloom  as  in  a  peach. 


TURNIP.  185 

Pear-Shaped  Red.  Medium  early;  fruit  two  inches 
long  by  one  in  diameter;  color  yellow. 

Pear-Shaped  Yellow,  or  Fig.  Differing  from  the 
preceding  only  in  color. 

Perfection.  Early,  medium-sized,  round  form, 
slightly  depressed  at  the  end;  solid,  smooth,  deep  red. 

Ponderosa,  or  Four  Hundred.  Late,  very  large  size; 
flattened,  long  form,  ridged  or  ribbed;  solid,  few  seeds, 
purplish-red. 

Red  Cherry,  or  Currant,  Grape.  Fruit  small,  averag- 
ing half  an  inch  in  diameter,  borne  in  clusters;  bright 
scarlet. 

Stone,  or  Red  Beauty.  Early;  large  size,  round 
form;  solid,  smooth,  scarlet.  . 

Trophy.  Medium  early;  large  size,  round  form; 
solid,  generally  smooth,  deep  red. 

Turner's  Hybrid,  or  1,600  Dollar,  Lorillard,  Mikado, 
Potato-Leaved.  Medium  early  ;  thick,  broad  leaves, 
like  the  potato;  large,  round  form;  smooth,  scarlet, 
purplish-red. 

TURNIP. 

Turnip  Proper  Varieties. — Cow  Horn,  or  Large 
Cropper,  White  Tankard.  Late;  long  form,  rounded  at 
the  end;  average  length  ten  or  twelve  inches,  diameter 
abont  three  inches;  skin  pure  white,  green  at  the  crown; 
flesh  white. 

Early  Flat  Dutch.  Narrow,  strap-leaved;  round 
form,  very  much  flattened,  averaging  four  inches  in 
diameter  and  two  and  a  half  inches  in  depth;  skin 
white  with  green  at  the  crown;  flesh  white. 

Early  Snow  Ball.  Perfectly  round  form;  snowy- 
white  skin  and  flesh. 

Extra  Early  Red  Milan.    The  earliest  turnip;  narrow, 


186  THE   SEED-GROWER. 

strap-leaved;  medium-sized,  round  form,  oblate  or  flat- 
tened; skin  white  with  a  purple  top;  flesh  white. 

Extra  Early  White  Milan.  Similar  to  the  preceding, 
except  that  the  skin  is  entirely  white. 

Golden  Ball,  or  Yellow  Globe,  Yellow  Stone.  Late; 
nearly  globular  form;  skin  bright  yellow  below  ground, 
greenish  above;  flesh  pale-yellow. 

Large  White  Norfolk.  Late,  large  size,  globular 
form;  skin  white,  sometimes  washed  with  green;  flesh 
white. 

Pomeranian  White  Globe.  Medium  early;  large 
size,  globular  form;  skin  pure  white;  flesh  white. 

Red  Top  Flat.  Differing  from  the  Early  Flat  Dutch 
only  in  color  of  the  top. 

Red  Top  Globe.  Early;  narrow-strap  leaves;  glob- 
ular form;  skin  white,  with  purple  top;  flesh  white. 

Scarlet  Kashmyr,  or  Cardinal.  Medium-sized,  round 
form,  flattened;  skin  crimson-scarlet;  flesh  white. 

Seven  Top,  or  Forester.  Cultivated  for  the  tops 
which  are  used  for  boiling  with  cured  meats;  bulb  of 
no  account. 

Southern  Prize,  or  Dixie  Land.  Of  more  recent 
origin  than  the  Seven  Top,  to  which  it  is  similar,  and 
like  it  cultivated  only  for  the  tops. 

White  Egg,  or  Extra  Early  White  French.  Early; 
oval  form,  medium-sized;  white  skin  and  flesh. 

White  Stone,  or  White  Stubble.  Medium  early; 
larger  than  Early  Flat  Dutch;  round  form,  somewhat 
flattened;  skin  white,  tinged  with  green;  flesh  white. 

Yellow  Aberdeen,  or  Yellow  Scotch.  Late;  large 
size,  globular  form;  skin  deep  yellow;  flesh  pale  yel- 
low. There  are  two  varieties,  known  as  Purple  Top 
and  Green  Top,  from  the  color  above  ground. 

Ruta   Baga    or    Swedish   or    Russian    Turnip 


TURNIP.  187 

Varieties.— Champion,  or  Improved  Purple  Top  Yel- 
low Ruta  Baga.  Large  size;  ovoid  in  form;  skin 
yellow,  with  deep  purple  crown;  flesh  yellow;  sweet, 
well  flavored. 

Long  Island,  or  American.  Large  size;  roundish  in 
form,  having  less  neck  than  the  Champion;  skin  yel- 
low, with  deep  purple  crown;  flesh  yellow;  sweet,  well 
flavored. 

Sweet  German,  or  Breadstone,  Budlong,  Rock.  Oval 
in  form,  large  size;  skin  white,  greenish-brown  above 
ground;  flesh  white;  very  sweet  and  mild. 

White  French.  Long,  tapering  form,  measuring 
when  well  grown  eight  to  ten  inches  in  length,  four  or 
five  inches  in  diameter  at  the  thickest  part;  skin  white; 
flesh  white;  sweet  and  delicate. 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

Advice  to  beginners 5 

Amaryllis 97 

Anemone 97 

Artichoke 13 

Varieties 142 

Asparagus  14 

Extracting  seed 14 

Varieties 142 

Average  time  for  plants  to  mature 

to  edible  condition  131 

Bean 15 

Saving  for  private  use 17 

Threshing  and  cleaning ...      17 

Varieties— Green-pod  142 

"      —Lima 145 

"      -Pole 144 

"      —Wax-pod 144 

Bean  Puller 16 

Beet 19 

11    European  method  of  produc- 
tion     20 

11    Harvesting 22 

"    Planting  roots 22 

11    Saving  for  private  use 23 

"    Threshing,  cleaning  23 

11    Varieties— Field 147 

"          u       —Garden 146 

"    Wintering  roots 21 

Begonia 97 

Bisulphide  of  carbon 74 

Borecole 25 

"        Threshing,  cleaning —    26 

Varieties 157 

Broccoli 26 

"       Varieties 147 

Brussels  Sprouts 27 

"     Varieties 148 

Bulbs 96 

Cabbage  28 

"        First      method  —  solid 

heads 29 

"        Harvesting,    threshing, 

cleaning 34 

"        Second     method— half 

formed  heads 29 

"        Seed  from  stumps   34 

11        Setting  out  in  spring...      32 

"        Stock  seeds 31 

"        Wintering  plants  in  the 

open 33 

••        Wintering     plants     in 

trenches 31 

"        Varieties 148 


PAGE 

Calladium  Esculentum 97 

CallaLily 102 

Canna 98 

Cardoon 150 

Carrot 35 

"     Saving  for  private  use 37 

"     Threshing  and  cleaning. . .    36 

"     Varieties 150 

Cauliflower 37 

"          Stock  seed 39 

Varieties 151 

Celery » 39 

Varieties 152 

Chervil  153 

Chicory 153 

Cleaning  farm  seeds 7 

CoJlard  153 

Color  and  form  of  seeds 137 

Contract  forms 10, 116 

Convallaria 98 

Corn 41 

"    Drying  and  shelling 42 

1 '    Saving  for  private  use 43 

"    Stock  seed 41 

"    Varieties  153 

Corn  Salad 44 

' '          Saving  for  private  use.    45 

Varieties 155 

Cress 45 

••     Varieties 155 

Crossing  Ill 

Cucumber  45 

Drying  seed 50 

Fermentation 48 

"          Harvesting  and  clean- 
ing     46 

41          Saving  for  private  use.    46 

Varieties 155 

"          Washing  seed 49 

Cultural  directions  for  ordinary 

garden 11,122 

Dahlia 9-f 

Dandelion 157 

Dates  fruit  trees  and  wild  flowers 
blossomed  around  Philadelphia.  131 

Description  of  varieties 142 

Dryingseeds 8 

EggPlant 52 

"         Drying 54 

Varieties 157 

"         Washing  and  cleaning.    53 

Endive 55 

"     Varieties 157 


(189) 


190 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

Examples  of  plant  improvement.  107 

Fanmill 7 

Fermentation 8 

Forms  of  contracts  10, 116 

Freesia  98 

Galanthus  99 

Gladiolus  99 

Goodrich,  Reverend  Chauncey  E.    77 

Grower's  Prices 11 

Harvesting  Crops 6 

Herb  and  Flower  Seeds 93 

HorseRadish 56 

Hyacinth  99 

Insects  in  seeds 73 

Introductory 5 

Iris 101 

Kale 25 

' '   Threshing,  cleaning 26 

"   Varieties 157 

Keeping  seeds 140 

Killing  weevil   and   insects    in 

seeds 74 

KohlRabi 56 

Varieties 158 

Labeling 9 

Leek  .  67 

"     Varieties 158 

Lettuce 68 

"       Stock  seeds 59 

"       Threshing  59 

11       Varieties  —  Cabbage- 
leaved.  ..  159 

"  "       —Cos-leaved . .  163 

"  "       —Cut-leaved  .  162 

Lily 101 

Lily  of  the  Valley 98 

Madeira  Vine 101 

Market  condition 9 

Market  status,  14,  15, 18,  24,  26,  27, 
28,  84.  37,  39,  41.  43,  45,  51,  55,  56, 
57,  58,  59,  60,  65,  68,  70,  71,  72,  76, 
80,81,83,84,85,89,91,94 

Melon 60 

41       Extracting  and  cleaning. .    60 

"       Fermentation 60 

14       Stock  seeds 60 

44       Varieties— Musk  Melon  ...  163 

"  4'       —Water  Melon..    165 

Methods  for  keeping  seeds          .  140 

44        "  improving  varieties .  105 

Mowing  machine 72 

Mushroom  spawn 61 

Mustard  62 

••      Varieties 168 

Naming  new  varieties 115 

Number  of  seeds  in  an  ounce  —  187 

Okra 62 

14    Varieties 168 

Onion ' 63 

Varieties 168 

44       Sets 65 

44         "   Cleaning 67 

"          4'   Harvesting 66 

"          41   Storing 67 

Originating  new  varieties 103 

Parsley  69 

"       Varieties 170 


PAGE 

Parsnip 70 

"       Varieties 170 

Pea  71 

Threshing,  cleaning 72 

Varieties— Dwarf  Early 171 

"          Extra  Early 170 

44          Medium  Early  . . .  172 

44          Late 174 

41  "          Sugar 175 

14    Weevil 73 

Peony 101 

Pepper.... 75 

"       Stock  seeds 76 

44       Varieties 175 

Pepper  Grass 45 

••    Varieties 155 

Periods  for  vegetable  seeds  to 

germinate 134 

Plant     breeding     among     the 

ancients 112 

Possibilities  in  plant  breeding ...  103 

Potato  77 

Early  Rose 77 

44       Second  crop  for  seed 78 

Production  of  a  new  variety 105 

Pumpkin 79 

44        Extracting,  harvesting, 

cleaning 79 

Varieties 177 

Qualities  requisite  for  success  in 

plant  breeding   104 

Radish 80 

41       Stock  seeds 81 

41       Varieties— Early 178 

11  .4I          Summer 179 

"  "          Winter 180 

Richardia... 102 

Rhubarb 82 

Varieties 180 


Varieties 180 

Scorzonera 181 

Second-crop  seed  potatoes 78 

Seed  Cleaner 7 

Seed-saving  methods 13 

Selection  106 

Snow  Drop 99 

Sorrel 181 

Spinach 84 

44       Varieties 181 

Squash 85 

Varieties-Fall 1*2 

"  "        Summer 181 

Stimulus  for  production  of  new 

varieties 104 

Stock  seeds  6 

Store-house 6 

Suggestions  to  beginners 5 

Synonyms  10, 142 

Testing  seeds  139 

Threshing 7 

Threshing  cloth  7 

Threshing  machine 7, 17 

Tiger  Flower 102 

Tigridia 102 

Time  of  maturity 11, 131, 334 

Tomato 86 


INDEX. 


191 


PAGE 

Tomato,  Drying 89 

"       Fermentation  and  wash- 
ing    86 

"       Varieties 183 

Trial  ground  10,141 

Tuberose 103 

Tulip  102 

Turnip , 89 


PAGE 

Turnip  Varieties— Ruta  Baga 186 

"  "          Turnip 185 

Vitality  of  seeds 135,137 

Washing  seeds 8 

Weevil— killing  same 73 

What  is  proper  time  for  sowing 

in  spring 130 

Wintering  roots 21 


A  TRADE  BOOK  INTENDED  ONLY  FOR 
SEEDSMEN  OR  SEED  DEALERS 


THE 

Seedsman's  Assistant 


By    CHARLES    JOHNSON. 


I2mo,  bound  in  Cloth,  94  pages.    Price,  $5.OO. 


This  is  a  book  for  the  wholesale  seed  buyer. 

It  gives  the  sub-rosa  buying  sources  of  the  leading 
Seed  Stores  and  contains  addresses  of  more  than 
one  hundred  established  Seed,  Vegetable  and 
Flower  Growers,  located  in  America  and  Europe. 

It  gives  Growers'  prices  with  instructions  for  buying. 

It  contains  tables  of  standard  quantities  as  used  for 
putting  up  small  5 -cent  packets. 

It  contains  a  list  of  synonyms  of  the  different  varie- 
ties, so  that  the  buyer  can  purchase  under  the 
true  names  at  nominal  prices. 

It  gives  formulas  for  preparing  Lawn  Grass  Mix- 
tures, etc. 


This  Book  has  already  had  an  enormous  sale  in  this  country, 
in  Canada,  South  America,  Europe,  and  Africa. 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 


AN  INITIAL  FINE  OF  25  CENTS 

WILL  BE  ASSESSED  FOR  FAILURE  TO  RETURN 
THIS  BOOK  ON  THE  DATE  DUE.  THE  PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  SO  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY  AND  TO  $1.OO  ON  THE  SEVENTH  DAY 
OVERDUE. 


FEB  20  1941 


JUH231989 


AUTO.  DISC 


YP    y 

U.C.  BERKELEY  LIBRARIES 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


